Perhaps you've noticed, but the real estate market right now really sucks. People are having trouble selling their homes, and they're also having trouble buying homes. The economy is in a depression because of several factors, including gas prices and the War in Iraq. The main issue is, how do we get out of this slump and what can we possibly do about it? So for some reason this morning, I was speculating on how today's real estate is. I remember hearing a story of a couple who wanted to sell their house who did a shocking thing in order to sell it. Since the market is so bad, the couple bought a brand new car that goes with the house. That's right. A free car if you buy the house. The couple is actually losing money just to sell this house. I began wondering: what if housing and land were free? Now, we wouldn't exactly be talking mansions or trailer homes, but maybe something more basic. Every family would be entitled to a free home and piece of land of their choice and wouldn't have to worry about mortgage or rent payments. Seems like a simple solution, but as with everything else I blog about, there are several factors to consider. 1. House size and style. If it became mandory to build houses for people for free, the houses may begin to take on a template look. In other words, they'd all be the same. Ever see one of those neighborhoods where all the houses are the same, except they're different colors? That doesn't sound very good to me. 2. The builders. How do the builders get paid? Only organizations with part-time workers will build for free, so where are professional house builders/wirers/and others going to get their income? If the government paid them, wouldn't this just put our country more in debt? (of course, there's the fact that the money stays in-country, so it continues circulating among Americans--that might not be so bad.) 3. Family size/preferences. If we're talking about average homes, what about families that are bigger? 13 child families would need more space, therefore the house would need more materials and would cost the builders more money and time. Also, what if it's a farm family? They'd need more land space and farmland, along with a barn/silo and other necessary structures. The complications add up. At first, the idea of free housing seemed like a good idea, but then the impracticality of it all added up on me. What if this free housing ended up being little more than a cubicle per person in some super-apartment building? That's not a very good living arrangement in my opinion. Maybe housing can't be free, but can't anything be done to lessen the prices of homes so they are more affordable for middle-and-lower-class people? House values can't keep going up. Houses just a few miles from my own are being sold for millions to rich New Yorkers while the people who originally lived in the area will be pushed out due to the crazy prices of gas and other necessities for living. Something must be done, and fast, or else half of America will be homeless while the rest are millionaires. Suddenly, living in a capitalistic society really sucks.