You Go, Girl!
Below is a letter from Vicki Cox Golder, President of the National Association of Realtors®, in response to a recent article in Time Magazine suggesting that homeownership is not a good idea. My own letter to Time appears earlier in this blog.
Bob Dohn
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
140-A S. Roselle Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60193
Direct phone: 847-301-3126
Web: www.BobDohn.com
The Case for Homeownership
Response to TIME Magazine
August 30, 2010
Dear Editor:
Recent attacks on the value of homeownership are knee-jerk reactions to current economic conditions, and Barbara Kiviat’s article, “The Case Against Homeownership,” is no exception. There’s a reason owning a home has long-standing government support in this country – because housing helps drive the economy and sustains families and communities, through good times and bad.
Homeownership didn’t create the foreclosure crisis – Wall Street greed and irresponsible lending practices did. In fact, some of the suppositions Kiviat makes are absurd – far from “hollowing out cities” and keeping “renters out of the best neighborhoods,” homeowners helped revitalize urban centers, bringing amenities and public services for the benefit of all.
The positive impact of homeownership on society has been well documented; extensive research from government agencies, industry, and academia has shown that homeownership contributes to stable communities, helps reduce crime and improves academic achievement.
All of this debate ignores the real issue facing the nation’s economy right now – that many Americans can’t find meaningful work to support their families. Housing cannot recover until jobs return to the economy. A focus on job recovery is what’s needed right now, not misguided attempts to dismantle support for something that has helped sustain this country and its communities through the Great Depression and beyond.
Moving forward, we need to ensure public policies that promote responsible, sustainable homeownership. Owning a home isn’t for everyone, but anyone who is able and willing to assume the responsibilities of owning a home should have the opportunity to pursue that dream.
Vicki Cox Golder
President
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS
Bob Dohn
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
140-A S. Roselle Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60193
Direct phone: 847-301-3126
Web: www.BobDohn.com
The Case for Homeownership
Response to TIME Magazine
August 30, 2010
Dear Editor:
Recent attacks on the value of homeownership are knee-jerk reactions to current economic conditions, and Barbara Kiviat’s article, “The Case Against Homeownership,” is no exception. There’s a reason owning a home has long-standing government support in this country – because housing helps drive the economy and sustains families and communities, through good times and bad.
Homeownership didn’t create the foreclosure crisis – Wall Street greed and irresponsible lending practices did. In fact, some of the suppositions Kiviat makes are absurd – far from “hollowing out cities” and keeping “renters out of the best neighborhoods,” homeowners helped revitalize urban centers, bringing amenities and public services for the benefit of all.
The positive impact of homeownership on society has been well documented; extensive research from government agencies, industry, and academia has shown that homeownership contributes to stable communities, helps reduce crime and improves academic achievement.
All of this debate ignores the real issue facing the nation’s economy right now – that many Americans can’t find meaningful work to support their families. Housing cannot recover until jobs return to the economy. A focus on job recovery is what’s needed right now, not misguided attempts to dismantle support for something that has helped sustain this country and its communities through the Great Depression and beyond.
Moving forward, we need to ensure public policies that promote responsible, sustainable homeownership. Owning a home isn’t for everyone, but anyone who is able and willing to assume the responsibilities of owning a home should have the opportunity to pursue that dream.
Vicki Cox Golder
President
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS
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