“The issue is you're doing multiplications, not looking at the difference in % increase of the housing prices VS the % increase in the wages received.”
Er…er…Let’s have a look at sunny-dave’s numbers and, as they say “do the maths” instead of blindly rattling off unfounded “facts”:
“Terrace house in my small town now £125,000. 1976 - same house about £11,000,” (Increase is 1,136%).
“starting salary for a teacher £25,000 (now) starting salary for a teacher about £2,300 (1976).” (Increase is 1,087%).
It’s blindingly obvious (except perhaps to Dianne Abbott) that if the “multiplier” is about the same then the percentage increases of the component parts must be about the same. Back to school for you, spathi.
The difference in percentage increases demonstrated by Dave indicate that in many places the percentage increase in salary and the increase in house prices is much the same. Only when you look at places like London does it become skewed. When taking account of the fact that mortgages are considerably cheaper now and tax rates in the main considerably lower, today’s first time buyers are somewhat better off.
“The most obvious one is demand outstrips supply, so build more houses.”
Er, no. Building more houses will simply encourage more demand. The answer is to reduce demand by restricting immigration and discourage people already here from having children.
“…petrol now just over £1 per gallon,”
Tell me where, bhg, and I'll be round to fill up! :-)