April 18, 2008

Let us not forget the rental options

Sir though I might have picked a somewhat more gentle title I agree full heartedly with Martin Wolf’s “Let Britain’s housing bubble burst” April 18. Having said that perhaps it would also have been appropriate to include a remark about the bias that has been spread throughout the whole world and that favours the ownership of houses as compared to the alternatives provided by the rental markets.

In a global mobile work market where a house when owned often signifies a ball chain around the ankle it would seem that renting should be a very good option, if it is able to overcome the stupid hurdle of having almost been socially derided as a second class choice.