Homeownership
A Case Against Homeownership
Against all odds, both political parties agree on at least one thing: the merits of homeownership. But is buying a home really such a great investment, even for the well-off?
Are Rent-to-Own Homes Predatory?
On the promise of ownership, rent-to-own landlords make tenants pay for repairs. And on the lower end, homes often come with code violations built in. This market's legal grey spaces distinctly echo 2008.
Say What? Declining Homeownership Rates Aren't a Good Thing
African-Americans and Latinos lost huge amounts of wealth in the crisis. A Washington Post editorial writer asserts that all this loss of wealth is a positive, even though it affected low- and moderate-income and new buyers disproportionately.
U.S. Homeownership Rate Lowest Since 1965
A confluence of economic and demographic factors means fewer Americans own homes than at any time since 1965.
4 Reasons Home Ownership Won't Close the Racial Wealth Gap
Homeownership is often promoted as a way for low-income and minority families to build wealth. But it is those very families who assume the most risk in buying a house.
Starter Homes Are a Non-Starter
As prices rise, especially in desirable urban markets, what used to be called "starter homes" rarely come up for sale. And when they do, they go for more than first time home-buyers can afford.
Lending Inequalities Undercut Baltimore's Potential
Baltimore's housing stock is relatively accessible compared to many other cities on the East Coast, yet deeply ingrained issues of inequality still plague the potential for homeownership to assist in the city's recovery.
Why the McMansion Isn't Really Back
Joe Cortright criticizes reports linking high median new home sizes to a renewed demand for McMansions. The market for single-family homes, he argues, locks out buyers of modest means. Only the well-off are buying.
Harvard Report: U.S. Housing Recovery Losing Momentum
The State of the Nation's Housing, a closely watched report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, was released to the public today.
The New Housing Crisis: Declining Homeownership, Increasing Rental Costs
Research from the Urban Institute identifies market and demographic trends that could mean a future housing market that will stand in stark contrast to the "subprime mania of the early 2000s."
No More Hidden Gems Thanks to Investor-Centric Real Estate
Although large investors made only 4.3 percent of single-family home purchases in 2014, they may be reducing the competitiveness of traditional buyers. With ready cash and sophisticated algorithms, investors get there first and make better bids.
More on the Cost of Anti-Growth Policies
As urban centers start making better sense for a digital economy, NIMBY policies might be worth re-examining. In addition to driving up the cost of housing, they may compound inefficiencies and slow down the economy.
Survey: Interest in Buying a Home Hits All-Time Low
Despite many signs of a housing recovery around the country, the most recent survey by Fannie Mae indicates that more Americans than ever aren't sold on the idea of owning a home.
Report: Coastal Los Angeles Will Likely Remain Unaffordable
Los Angeles home prices have long since skyrocketed above median income. A report by the Legislative Analyst's Office shows how difficult it would be to build L.A. out of its predicament.
Are Millennials Different, or Just Delaying Homeownership?
Big, diverse, and a little bit different, the Millennial generation is often cast as the solution to—or the cause of—many of America’s housing challenges.
Renters Are Not the Problem
A few weeks ago, Alan Mallach asked the question, "do urban neighborhoods need homeowners?" Tony Roshan Samara challenges his answer.
Do Urban Neighborhoods Need Homeowners?
Alan Mallach describes the decline of and need for homeownership in urban neighborhoods.
Generation X Leads the Decline of Homeownership
A snarky post written for The Atlantic identifies a forgotten culprit in the country's dropping homeownership rates: Generation X.
Multimedia Campaign Hopes Homeowners Will Put Down Roots in New Haven
New Haven recently launched a campaign called RE: New Haven in the hopes of increasing the city’s homeownership rate. Will the incentive-backed, multimedia approach work in increasing residents' stake in the community?
Building Support for Affordable Housing
A recent article on PlannersWeb acts as a kind of playbook for building public support for affordable housing projects.
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