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FwibbFwibb t1_itai00x wrote

Reply to comment by SportySaturn in Many countries have a "hidden welfare state" for incumbent homeowners, as governments subsidize homeowners through the tax system. The homeownership welfare state is strongest in the US and other Anglophone countries, but weakest in the Scandinavian countries. by smurfyjenkins

Did you just ignore that the title SPECIFICALLY said INCUMBENT homeowners? Meaning someone who already owns a home. The most difficult part is breaking in to home ownership in the first place. After that it's gravy. Your mortgage stays the same while rent increases exponentially for others.

>Countries intentionally incentivize home ownership

This is about people who already own a home.

> first time homebuyer FHA government-backed loans available

This is about people who already own a home.

>lowering the barrier for entry is the right take.

This is about people who already own a home.

Why should someone who already owns a home get taxpayer subsidies?

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SportySaturn t1_itc5nz6 wrote

>Did you just ignore that the title SPECIFICALLY said INCUMBENT homeowners?

Haha. You're awfully worked up for someone that didn't make it past the reddit post title. Did you notice that the title of the post isn't the title of the paper, by chance? On that note, did you know there is a whole article on another site behind the reddit title?

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>This is about people who already own a home.

I assure you it's not (exclusively), as it deals with topics like "value-added tax on newly built dwellings"

At any rate, my confused non-reading fellow, my point is that things like FHA loans (unmentioned) and mortgage interest deductions belong in the same bucket. That bucket is, in intention and in de facto consequence, about promoting home ownership. It's not about creating a welfare state for the wealthy as the paper would like to frame them.

>Why should someone who already owns a home get taxpayer subsidies?

It's an incentive to purchase and makes it less difficult to continue owning. Whether tax incentives should be considered subsidies is oddly contentious. IMO it shouldn't be since you're not subsidizing anything by not taking things away. But to answer your question about why home ownership should be incentivized and made easier: it's because home ownership is good for society, and we should want as many people to be able to purchase and keep their homes as possible.

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