Eating away at the American Dream
To Rent or to Buy? That is the question.
Here is a look at that timeless question from a different perspective, from this article in today’s Wall Street Journal, written by author and scholar Richard Florida:
Several generations of Americans have seen homeownership as a birthright and a necessity. We take it for granted that owning your home is a good thing. It goes along with higher incomes; it causes people to be more diligent, hard-working and productive; it leads to stable families, stable communities, and higher levels of happiness and well-being.
Homeownership certainly contributed significantly to the golden era of American prosperity that began after World War II and continued into the 1990s, fueling demand for the cars and appliances that were rolling off assembly lines. But the foundation of our economy no longer lies in manufacturing, which created stable populations of workers committed to their jobs and communities for life. Today’s idea-driven economy requires a more mobile work force that can seize opportunities wherever and whenever they arise.
Owning a home may actually be a drawback given the economic flexibility required to power long-lasting recovery. My colleagues and I tracked homeownership levels across U.S. cities and regions to see how they correlate to other measurable demographic and economic factors. As we expected, the rates of homeownership are greatest where housing prices are lowest. But cities with high levels of homeownership—in the range of 75%, like Detroit, St. Louis and Pittsburgh—had on average considerably lower levels of economic activity and much lower wages and incomes. Far too many people in economically distressed communities are trapped in homes they can’t sell, unable to move on to new centers of opportunity…
The rate of homeownership in America is already starting to fall back on its own. From a high of almost 70% during the bubble years, homeownership has fallen to roughly 67%; slightly less than 39% of Americans between ages 18 and 35 own their own home, down from 43% in 2005. The Urban Land Institute projects that homeownership may fall to 62% over the next decade or two.
I’m not saying that Americans should give up on homeownership. Those who plan to stay in one place, who have secure jobs, and who can afford to should still buy homes. We need only tilt the balance, reducing the current homeownership rate from our current rate of just over two-thirds to perhaps 55% or 60%, comparable to that of the most economically vibrant regions. It’s in our economic interest to help make that happen.
What do you think? To Rent or to Buy? For a complimentary professional real estate consultation, please contact Proper Realty Group 7 days a week.
