• stebo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    132
    ·
    1 month ago

    The worst thing about this is that housing is essential, while all the other things aren’t. Scalpers only take advantage of other people’s shopping addiction, while these so-called “investors” take advantage of other people’s basic needs.

    • phx@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      1 month ago

      I’ll add to that: The PlayStation etc scalpers at least give you a still-new product at the inflated price. The landlords rent it out for additional income and THEN sell it at a profit.

      So it’s more like buying a PS5 for $500, having somebody rent to play it for $100/mo, then selling it for $800 after a year

      • lugal@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 month ago

        This isn’t even true were I live. Investors will buy new appartments and leave them empty and sell them a few years later. Renting them would decrease the value more than the income is. It’s worse than you thought.

    • desktop_user
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 month ago

      basic needs make good investments unless the government supplies a viable alternative.

        • GiveMemes@jlai.lu
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 month ago

          Unable to see the argument behavior. The government, the other commenter is saying, must provide a viable alternative in order to prevent this behavior.