I believe it won't be long until there will be plenty of properties on the market as our population continues to age and more people will move into lifestyle villages and retirement homes. It seems to me plenty are being built. The houses that become available as a result will be clean and have well-maintained gardens because the current homeowners are very responsible types. When they sell up, they could provide an opportunity for first-home buyers.
Would a piggyback up the Mount be a good enough incentive? Photo / George Novak
What is clear is the country needs more houses.
We need to make New Zealand a desirable country to convince qualified tradespeople to move here. Tax breaks would be one good way to achieve that.
If that won't work, a change in the school system could do it. Young people need to learn stuff that will actually benefit them in real life. How long has it been since you used the Pythagoras theorem? It's been 1,793 days for me. Maths shouldn't be mandatory and instead replaced with lifeskills where people learn how to iron a shirt, build a dowel joint and pay their taxes.
School leavers could be offered free tools during their apprenticeship too and the funds paid for in fines from people who complain about house prices while scoffing down avocado on toast and a $5 coffee at brunch.
I believe apartments are not part of the Kiwi dream and are often unappealing but we need to build up, not out, otherwise we'll end up with even worse traffic than what we're already forced to suffer.
There is also an opportunity here to see the rebirth of rural New Zealand. Working from home is an option for many now with the obstacles of yesteryear such as internet connection and your boss not trusting you to work being few and far between. People could also learn to live off the land and grow their own produce, so if there were ever other lockdowns, supermarket queues wouldn't lap the block. Toilet paper doesn't grow on trees the last time I checked, though, so we're stuffed in that regard.
A trip in the gondola over cheaper taxes? Depends if the tradies like luging. Photo / Destination Rotorua
What we mustn't do is punish the people who have worked hard in order to buy their own home before adding others on to their portfolio. Buying a home has never been easy — it's not uncommon to hear about people who have starved themselves for months eating a can of tuna, three peas and half a carrot for dinner so they can afford a mortgage. These people do not deserve to be taxed for their efforts. In my book, those reaping the rewards of family wealth or Lotto wins should be taxed because they've been given a decent handout.
I'm not going to pretend that I have all the answers - because I don't - but I've actually been surprised at the options after thinking about the topic for a short while. Imagine how many someone could think of in a three-year political cycle.
If no solution is found, though, the good news is rocks and cardboard boxes are cheap — they're either lying around or people are always wanting to throw them out.
