Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
#1546
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Something that occured to me this afternoon and I find interesting is that at the moment the automotive manufacturing 'business' in the UK is going from strength to strength and setting sales records etc at a time that in Australia it is well and truly on its last legs. I do wonder what the reasons are for this? Wages in that sector are apparently pretty similar so it is down to efficiency and peripheral costs perhaps?
Apart from the home market in Australia, every where else would add shipping to the overall cost of a car exported - and there's plenty of competition in the area that likely have cheaper labour costs.
#1547
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
It could be. The UK also has a higher population, concentrated in a much smaller area with easy access to the continent. There's a relatively good road and rail network.
Apart from the home market in Australia, every where else would add shipping to the overall cost of a car exported - and there's plenty of competition in the area that likely have cheaper labour costs.
Apart from the home market in Australia, every where else would add shipping to the overall cost of a car exported - and there's plenty of competition in the area that likely have cheaper labour costs.
#1548
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
It could be. The UK also has a higher population, concentrated in a much smaller area with easy access to the continent. There's a relatively good road and rail network.
Apart from the home market in Australia, every where else would add shipping to the overall cost of a car exported - and there's plenty of competition in the area that likely have cheaper labour costs.
Apart from the home market in Australia, every where else would add shipping to the overall cost of a car exported - and there's plenty of competition in the area that likely have cheaper labour costs.
The overall Australian cost per vehicle may be higher than a UK or Asian made vehicle & certainly with Korea, Japan & China lower cost vehicles I wounder if Australia can be a competitive exporter?
Or, maybe its the foreign companies (Japan & US) that manufacture in OZ for the domestic market as a direct competitor of all that is/was Australian, then profits sent back to the foreign own company homeland.
Last edited by not2old; Dec 6th 2013 at 7:33 pm.
#1549
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
This should be of concern for those thinking of returning, especially those who are returning and need to find work, and those who have children.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...e-8994229.html
The housing situation in the UK is truly in crisis. Affordable housing, if there is such a thing, tends mainly to be in areas of low employment, adding to the burden of those seeking to return and find work. As for the children, their best chance seems to be, if their parents own their property outright and then downsize, freeing equity, or via inheritance.
I wonder how long it will be before there is a rise in equity loans and the debt fuelled boom and bust cycle starts all over again...........or has it started already.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...e-8994229.html
The housing situation in the UK is truly in crisis. Affordable housing, if there is such a thing, tends mainly to be in areas of low employment, adding to the burden of those seeking to return and find work. As for the children, their best chance seems to be, if their parents own their property outright and then downsize, freeing equity, or via inheritance.
I wonder how long it will be before there is a rise in equity loans and the debt fuelled boom and bust cycle starts all over again...........or has it started already.
#1550
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Same as Australia then.
#1553
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
The cost of housing and negative attitudes to immigration strike me as the two biggest negatives about returning to the UK. Otoh, this comment in the posted link stood out to me:
That really sums up one of the problems imo. Home ownership is seen as some kind of holy grail whereas renting is looked down on (to put it mildly). Notice the use of the emotive words "locked out" and "forced to" in that sentence.
“an entire generation will be locked out of home ownership and forced to rent for life”.
#1554
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
The cost of housing and negative attitudes to immigration strike me as the two biggest negatives about returning to the UK. Otoh, this comment in the posted link stood out to me:
That really sums up one of the problems imo. Home ownership is seen as some kind of holy grail whereas renting is looked down on (to put it mildly). Notice the use of the emotive words "locked out" and "forced to" in that sentence.
That really sums up one of the problems imo. Home ownership is seen as some kind of holy grail whereas renting is looked down on (to put it mildly). Notice the use of the emotive words "locked out" and "forced to" in that sentence.
What you need to remember is housing costs vary enormously in different areas. Where we are housing is very affordable and it is a wonderful part of the country. I have seen many of these housing doom stories over the years and home ownership rates remain roughly the same.
#1555
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
The cost of housing and negative attitudes to immigration strike me as the two biggest negatives about returning to the UK. Otoh, this comment in the posted link stood out to me:
That really sums up one of the problems imo. Home ownership is seen as some kind of holy grail whereas renting is looked down on (to put it mildly). Notice the use of the emotive words "locked out" and "forced to" in that sentence.
That really sums up one of the problems imo. Home ownership is seen as some kind of holy grail whereas renting is looked down on (to put it mildly). Notice the use of the emotive words "locked out" and "forced to" in that sentence.
I visited Korea last year and was absolutely shocked at how expensive housing is there! There seemed to be a lot of family sharing - parents, adult siblings and grandparents all living in the same house.
#1556
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
The last decade however has seen the first rise in the percentage of households renting, since 1918.
In the same period homeownership fell from 69% to 64%
Source ONS.
In the same period homeownership fell from 69% to 64%
Source ONS.
Last edited by Bud the Wiser; Dec 10th 2013 at 3:46 pm.
#1557
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Yes, in other countries renting is the norm. I wonder whether rent control is more stringent in such countries, though? Rental costs seem to be going up here quite rapidly. Cheaper housing seems to be either in really horrible areas or out in the stix where there is little work.
I visited Korea last year and was absolutely shocked at how expensive housing is there! There seemed to be a lot of family sharing - parents, adult siblings and grandparents all living in the same house.
I visited Korea last year and was absolutely shocked at how expensive housing is there! There seemed to be a lot of family sharing - parents, adult siblings and grandparents all living in the same house.
#1558
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Home ownership in the UK and Australia is around 70% which is very high compared to many other countries although I believe it has dropped inboth in recent years.
#1559
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
A good thing, imo. At least rents are largely bounded by income (i.e. you can't get a mortgage to pay the rent). House prices are largely bounded by how much you can borrow, and as we've seen in the last decade, that doesn't always work out too well. Throw in the government's scheme to loan people a down payment, and all we're doing is fueling the ponzi scheme again.
#1560
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
A good thing, imo. At least rents are largely bounded by income (i.e. you can't get a mortgage to pay the rent). House prices are largely bounded by how much you can borrow, and as we've seen in the last decade, that doesn't always work out too well. Throw in the government's scheme to loan people a down payment, and all we're doing is fueling the ponzi scheme again.
Agree about the Ponzi scheme. A 'create a fell good factor' to buy votes.
To add: If rents keep going up folks will be hard pressed to rent or buy.