[eurasiantiger]

It’s worrying that people can’t afford their own home. That feeling of security cannot be understated: knowing where you can sleep for the next night.

Everyone living in a rented apartment is under constant survival stress, with a subconscious fear of joblessness and eviction.

[mmarq]

This is only true in places like the UK or, I understand, the US, where renters do not enjoy the same protection they would in other countries. My brother rents a flat in Germany, he can't be evicted (unless he stops paying rent) and rent increases are pre-determined and tied to inflation (ie, the landlord can't ask for a 5% rent increase each year). In Italy contracts have a minimum 4 year duration, during which rent increases are capped at three quarters of inflation.

[kcplate]

> unless he stops paying rent

Which,,,is the reason that probably 99/100 people get evicted in the US. The remaining is generally due to property destruction or neglect of the property specifically counter to the lease agreement.

A landlord not renewing a lease to a tenant at the one of a lease term is not an eviction.

[dudul]

Homeowners can also lose their job, not be able to make a mortgage payment and see their house repossessed.

Not saying homeownership isn't more stable than renting, but let's not make it sound like homeowners live in a utopia.

[Ekaros]

I don't know renting at reasonable price, doesn't feel more stressful to me than owning.

I could and probably will take a loan for apartment. But if there is market downturn and I lose my job and the value drops I might even lose the place and still have debt left over... Also I'm on hook for any large scale maintenace that housing corporation decides collectively to do. And this can be like half of the value of appartment. Plus as it is corporation I'm possibly also on hook if other shareholders(owners) fail to pay their share...

[bojangleslover]

Interesting you say that, I'm trying to buy a house right now and that's the big variable I just have accepted I won't know the proper weight of until I do it myself. I've decided to just take the plunge, it's the only way to truly learn.

[slfnflctd]

Homeowners have the same fears, they're just pushed a little further out. Even if your house is paid off, you still have to worry about property taxes, basic upkeep, insurance (unless you go without and risk losing it all, which leads right back to that stress), possibly large HOA fees... the fact is, unless you have a lot of savings or are 100% certain you'll always have money coming in, no one's safe from anxieties about being able to stay where they live. I agree that it's worse for renters, but owning a house is not what it once was and definitely doesn't make the stress go away.

I have thought for a long time now that basic housing (your own private room with a door, heating/cooling, water and electricity) should be considered a fundamental human right and guaranteed as such by the powers that be. Without such a guarantee, the vast majority of us are going to continue to feel existential dread over the possibility that losing our ability to generate income could lead to being homeless.