To think you shouldn't expect to buy a home on a single salary?

[Fivebedexecutivehome]

Genuinely interested in people's thoughts.

There's no doubt there's a shortage of appropriate housing in the UK, and that prices make home ownership for many people on average salaries.

But I find a lot of reporting about the topic weird- lots of interviews with people who seem to want to buy a property by themselves.

most recent one on BBC but not unique:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7209lk8x2wo

My husband and I managed to get on the housing ladder a few years ago, early/mid thirties, both full time with a combined income of about 75k at the time, had been saving for about a decade towards deposit, plus a couple of grand from each of our parents to get it over the line. Got in towards the bottom end of the market of the (south eastern) town we live in.

I recognise both of us are quite privileged in lots of ways - having a bit of family support and salaries in the 30ks and 40ks. But there's no way either of us would have been able to ever buy a property by ourselves. But there's 68 million people in this country, surely the expectation can't be that everyone wants to buy a property themselves? And surely that's never been the expectation previously?

Bought years ago, inheritance or high salaries. I know 3 people who have gifted houses (which gives you a leg up if you want to upgrade to a mega house with 400k-650k equity plus your earnings).
.

If every individual person on an average salary wants their own 3 bed house with garden, the housing crisis will never end, we'll have to concrete over every inch of the country and vastly increase our carbon footprint. If that's what we're waiting for the economy to deliver, lots of people will always be dissatisfied.

A 3 bed house with garden is an unusual first time property, especially for a single person. When I bought my first home on my own (in the 1980s so a 'previous generation'), I bought a 2 up 2 down terraced with a tiny back yard. Most of my single friends bought similar, or flats. Same for my DC and their friends now so not sure why you think every first time buyer wants a 3 bed house? That's often the second property and often when they then have a partner anyway and need more space.

Where we are most first time buyers of a bigger house are a couple anyway? DH and I bought our terraced two bed house before we were married and were there for 9 years - had 2 children while we were there! Most people I know that bought a house by themselves have bought a flat or very small home. It’s not like single people are taking up all of the housing that would be suited to a family

Exactly @GBJustina , not really sure why the OP thinks otherwise

The UK's problem is land prices due to the greenbelt and NIMBYs. Constant expensive legal challenges by environmentalists are also a problem. When you factor in huge population growth due to (predominantly low skilled and low wage) immigration, it is a recipe for disaster.

I think we're now far beyond the government setting house building targets. We need a concerted national effort with new laws to override all the problematic people.

* Suitable greenbelt land rezoned for housing.
* Compulsory purchase of that land, with the landowners only paid 'farmland' rates of compensation for any land used for social housing.
* Mass building of high quality pre-fab housing in huge factories.

Wow

Once the greenbelt land is gone it is gone. We need the land for native flora and fauna as well as for farming. Before we even discuss the wellbeing benefits of green spaces. I assume you don't live in an area that is losing all its green spaces to concrete.

What do you propose we do once all our land is covered in concrete and people are still crying for more housing?

People keep voting for parties that believe in mass immigration. The population has risen by 10 million since 1999. This is the result. 🤷‍♀️

We either accept sky high property prices and a huge lack of social housing or we build millions of new homes.

The only way to get on top of the situation is to build on greenfield sites. Inner-city tower blocks just don't work for social housing. Families want space and gardens.

I bought a 2 bed terrace by myself in 2020 🤷🏼‍♀️

Mass immigration is a key factor in the success of capitalism. You may not like it, but your pension fund depends upon it. Capitalist-based economies (ie the entire Western world) rely on a reliable supply of cheap labour, provided by mass immigration. Look at the USA at the moment. Taking in huge numbers of immigrants even while their unemployment rate rises. It’s not a conspiracy. That’s how it works.

I'm not arguing for or against immigration. I'm simply saying that it's resulted in a massive shortage of housing. We now have to build millions of homes.

This was entirely predictable, so there's no use crying about the greenbelt or being a NIMBY.

Op I genuinely don't understand what you mean. If I'm allowed to buy then what is the point of this?

If I shouldn't be buying where am I meant to live?