I just saw this post about landlords being parasitic. While I agree in some points - mainly that by owning more property than you need for yourself, you’re driving up the price for others who want to buy a property. However, I don’t want to buy property when I move. I don’t have the funds for it, and I’m happy with a rented flat. Sure I want to get my own property at some point, however I’m also sure I want to move at least two more times in my life. Buying and selling each time sounds like a lot of hassle. Also, I live in a shared flat, that just sounds like a legal nightmare if the ownership changed every time someone moved out. How does this fit together? Are there solutions to this that don’t require landlords to exist?
One solution is community housing where the local government is the landlord and by extend the people in the area.
Another is housing cooperatives, which are groups of people pooling their money to build and operate housing. When joining, you acquire part of the ownership and when you leave you have to sell it.
TIL about housing cooperatives, and that about 6% in Germany live in one. Thanks!
Fairly common in Czechia, though it’s not that great. You formally own a share of the house which might come with the benefit of a flat. The cooperative can decide to move you out. Sure, you’ll still own the share, but if enough shareholders decide you’re out, you’re out. You want your kids to inherit the flat? Same thing applies, better hope there’s not someone who can sway others to not do it.
Shit like this isn’t something that happens often, but I personally know of three similar cases. Which is not a huge amount, but on the other hand I’m just one person. Definitely wouldn’t like those odds.
They’re very hard to come by, because usually it stays in the family.
I moved into one recently and the the process was pretty much like any other flat I rented before. You apply, get invited to visit the flat, you say yes or no, they say yes or no, done. The only difference was that instead of a deposit I was paying for shares of the cooperative. Maybe it’s different in smaller towns though, this was in a university town.