Hutch

Was reading an article in The Guardian the other day and it struck a chord with me. The basic upshot of it was that we British had, at some point over the last 20 years or so, changed from being home owners, to property owners. We had stopped thinking of the place we lived in as somewhere to live and raise kids, and instead looked on it as the pension we never saved for or the Spainish holiday flat to be. The article suggested that most of the stuff happening due to the so-called credit-squeeze becomes totally irrelevant if you think of your house as a home rather than an investment. As long as you can comfortably afford the mortgage - everything else is secondary. Or is it?

GinaUK

Speaking for myself: We currently live in "a rental" (it's definitely not home and never will be).

When our house is built, we'll live again in "a home" (definitely not a property). Never saw our UK home as an investment and won't look at our Australian home as an investment either.

But I can see where the Guardian article is coming from and sadly they are probably right.

Gina

moneypenny20

First and foremost it's a home. The chances are it will be a property as well though, unless I win Lotto

northernbird

Looking around the place at the moment I would say I live in a craphole Seriously though it's my home and every place we have owned has been the same.

spartacus

In some ways yes.

Brits are obsessed with house prices, who bought what for how much, and in an appreciating market generaly feel quite chuffed with the (deluded) idea that they're in some way making money. So conversely in a depreciating market, the thought of losing money which they'd never really owned, makes them feel like jumping off a bridge. Keeping up with the Jones' has prompted them to turn 'unreal money' into very real debt, spent on worthless chattels.

But in others no.

Virtually all possessions devalue over time, my own vintage collection of erotica excepted; cars for example hideously so. Why should we view a house as being any different?

tictac

Could you please post the link to this article? I'd be very interested to read it.

Like the poster above, we're currently living in a rental and do not see it as a 'home'.

What makes a property a home - an emotional bond; the security of knowing that you cannot have it taken away from you; having the ability to add touches to the property as an extension of your character/personality/interests etc

We do not envisage ourselves becoming homeowners in Australia

This in turn means that we will not be able to call Australia our home.

Though we may choose to stay here for a while and continue to live in a rental 'property'

Does that make sense?

spartacus

Only to you, but that's ok.

Petals

We definitely live in a home not an investment a home. Not up with the latest furnishing fashions so not a furniture showroom ,lots of books, papers etc dogs cats kids when they are home its home.

renth

Good article, it's here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...ng.houseprices

rabsody

Definitely a home (been in this house 7 years now ) but I still like to keep one eye on overcapitalising in case we did need to sell it at some stage.

My mum back in UK has spent silly amounts on doing up their property which she knows she will never make back on the house but she doesn't care because she says she'll never move again so for them it's all about enjoying the quality of life in a nice house rather than any money they will make/lose.

asher

my house was always my home I decorated to my taste not with an eye to selling, improvements were done to make it more comfortable ignoring what would add value when we sold.
I would hate to live in a bland to everyones taste property I always loved my cosy home.

Now i live in a rental I just worry about how high the rent will go when we come up for renewal

spartacus

That Sarah Beeny's got a lot to answer for.

Geelong Gent

Yes tell her to keep jumping up and down

storms

I think of my house as my home, not as an investment, as your property is always a liability, (it always costs money on a daily basis to run!)

I doubt me it will become an asset to anyone.....until I pass over that is!!
Bj

rabsody

I'd like an answer as to why she's not wearing a bra!