[lenerdenator]

Exactly. For most people, the housing problem is that their house isn't worth more.

My parents were whining a few months ago about the possibility of new apartments being built not far from their house. Why? More noise, more traffic, more people. Things that would impact the value of their nearly debt-free home.

Meanwhile most people my age (mid-30s) who don't have a home have more-or-less given up on the idea of getting one, and people their age (mid-60s) are having the possibility of property tax abatements thrown their way so that they can stay in a home until they absolutely can't anymore, or pass away.

The vast majority of American economic decisions are ultimately aimed at passing off more value into the hands of asset-holding retirees. Full stop.

[thunky]

> More noise, more traffic, more people. Things that would impact the value of their nearly debt-free home.

Maybe they just don't want the noise and traffic, and they don't really care about the impact on their house value.

Seems like you're jumping to a conclusion.

[lenerdenator]

Yes, I'm jumping to conclusions about the people who I've known since my birth.

[thunky]

You're right. I forgot that it's impossible for parents and children to misunderstand eachother.

I should have realized it, too, because when my parents tell me something, I know what they really mean, and it's not usually what they actually said to me.

So of course your parents want their house price to go up so they can pay higher taxes while surrounded by more traffic and noise. Seems so obvious now that you say it.

[lenerdenator]

> So of course your parents want their house price to go up so they can pay higher taxes while surrounded by more traffic and noise. Seems so obvious now that you say it.

Good thing that my county now offers people of their age a way to abate property tax increases so that they can "stay in the home they've known for so long" or whatever the line was.

Well, good for seniors. Absolutely awful for the people my age who want to buy a home, start a family, and participate in the economy in ways that those things enable. But we don't much care about those people.

Anyways, thanks for clarifying things to me internet stranger.