Same old Tories...

[Barrel of Fun]

What is also perverse. You can build a new home for £60k but it cost us £45k to build an attic bedroom, with storage and a bathroom suite.

Indeed. I followed that £60k trial on the HC website. Quite astonishing that it was built so quickly as well. Good old pre-fab!

Whilst I am not contesting that developers drag their heels (not all) there are other mitigating factors.

One wonders what the result of the Planning Gain Supplement would have on the industry?

 

[tedebear]

Tede, you talk about how you sacrificed a lot to buy a property, but assuming you are of a certain age, the market was much more affordable when you dived in. You only have to look at the statistics that point towards average property prices being near to 10 times the average wage. Combined with the fact that there is a whole generation with largish debts from University to cope with, who were stung by tuition fees and so on. I think you are seriously underestimating the problem and it is not so straight forward as making sacrifices.

Bof - I agree with what you're saying that it is hard and it is difficult for a lot of people, and I haven't ever said it isn't. What dissapoints me (and I was trying to say previously) is that there are people out there who do rent, but moan that they can't afford to get a mortgage (that was in response to someone else post). One person in I know in particular is happy to moan continually that he isn't getting any help from the government to buy a home. However - every week or so that we see him, he has the latest phone, had just got a flat screen LCD tv with a HD Sky box, and a laptop and a slew of MP3 players so he can download tunes for when he wanders about. All I'm saying is that for those people they don't seem willing to sacrifice yet are happy to moan. Thats my beef. I do agree that given the house prices in the south that there are many people who simply cannot do it. For that I don't know the answer.

Sorry edited to add - in Australia the debt I incurred to go to University was only $7k, this was only paid back in small installments when I became employed and it was deducted from my salary at a small rate over a few years - I know this is different in this country!

 

[The Large One]

But it is also possible (obviously I don't know these people, tede) that because they know they can't afford a mortgage that they choose to live their lifestyle in the way they do.

In other words, there's a kind of understandable attitude that if they can't or won't buy something they can't afford, they'll buy something they can instead.

Their right to moan is diminshed of course, but I still think you're over-simplifying and possibly ignoring the problems involved in obtaining a mortgage, especially to those who can't afford it. It's your single biggest financial investment, and to say you can't understand people renting is, I'm afraid, a bit inconsiderate. There are many reasons for and against renting as opposed to mortgaging.

 

[tedebear]

But it is also possible (obviously I don't know these people, tede) that because they know they can't afford a mortgage that they choose to live their lifestyle in the way they do.

In other words, there's a kind of understandable attitude that if they can't or won't buy something they can't afford, they'll buy something they can instead.

Their right to moan is diminshed of course, but I still think you're over-simplifying and possibly ignoring the problems involved in obtaining a mortgage, especially to those who can't afford it. It's your single biggest financial investment, and to say you can't understand people renting is, I'm afraid, a bit inconsiderate. There are many reasons for and against renting as opposed to mortgaging.

Fair enough TLO - I think I've been unfairly taken to issue here, I never said there weren't any issues, all I'm trying to say like I do most other times is that I don't like people who moan, yet haven't done anything to try and get out of it.

I am more than happy to pay my taxes to help those who are unable to help themselves. I'm damned if I'm going to pay my taxes to people who can't be arsed to pull their belts in and do some hard graft, instead of sitting on the bar stool at the pub moaning about the government and how they aren't getting help to buy their own house.

YES its a simplified view, indeed - but it has been bought about by some people I see regularly who COULD change their dream of owning their own home, but can't be bothered! I haven't commented at all where someone genuinely cannot afford to do this - I have no experience in this or solution so I haven't made comment.

I can't understand people renting for 20 years IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT! 20 years is long enough to change ones situation. If they want to rent then I'm all for that - my point was for those who don't!!

 

[Locky]

And a mortgage over 5 times your salary is AFFORDABLE? More likely to be a candidate for repossession, once interests rates rise.

And thats the gamble isnt it.
When buying a house most people, including myself back in 1987 morgage themselves to the hilt.
I dont recall the government paying tax rebates to people who were hit by the reccession and losing their houses and still after the house being sold owing the morgage company money.
So why should they pay tax on their house after their death?

I bought my house to make a good life for my wife and kids....................why then should the government get a slice after my death.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

If you wanted to extend the gulf between rich and poor, impede social mobility, and reduce equality of opportunity is there anything you could do that would be more effective than abolishing inheritance tax...?

Brown should call an election this afternoon using the slogan "Is that all they've got...?"

Aistair Darling has released his 'pre-election' pre-budget report.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7034399.stm

One of the bigger moves is increasing IHT threshold to £600k for married couples and eventually £700k in 2010.

The full report is here...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/09_10_07_pbr_report.pdf

 

[London Calling]

I said on another thread yesterday, that if the Govt move an inch and raised the threshold to £500,000 it would ameliorate a lot of public negative feelings to this tax, it looks like they have gone further...................................