Are landlords a leach on society?

Amazon
IGyt55

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IGyt55
Mar 20 66 Comments

I lean left generally, and listen to podcasts that generally lean left. A go to punching bag is “land lords are a leach on society” and how they provide 0 benefit and only steal from the poor, since the poor can’t get a loan to buy a house in the first place. So the poor are left paying for someone else’s retirement.

As someone who will probably be a landlord one day, I find this hard to sympathize with. Land lords put up the capital and risk, spend the time and money to keep the house in shape, etc. they provide a service.

If they provided actually 0 utility, then banks would just offer loans to “the poor” so they could buy the house. But is that the whole point, since land lords exist they create artificial utility? Meaning the utility they provide benefits “the rich” but overall harms society

I want to beard blinds opinion. 🎤

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TOP 66 Comments
  • Amazon
    zfgtiNz

    Go to company page Amazon

    zfgtiNz
    Landlords who are reasonable aren't leech, landlords who jackup rent or are unreasonable are terrible. However most folks who tend to think landlords are terrible are the free loading kind... to them they should be able to get a unit in a super nice building without paying anything
    Mar 20 1
    • Really landlords aren't any one thing, as you say. They're more akin to business competitors. Some nasty raise rents really high, but that just lets others undercut them to make the sale. What makes housing a unique good is it's slow to build more supply, and because of location, there is some inherent uniqueness, which may lead to certain competitors taking advantage of renters.
      Mar 20
  • Amazon / Eng
    lejdhch

    Go to company page Amazon Eng

    lejdhch
    Landlords are buying properties from those who want them just so they can rent them out.... how is this not parasitic. If there were no landlords and your only option was to buy with a mortgage then the process would be smoother, cheaper and easier. Buying to live for a year would be easy as all the prices would be far cheaper without invesors... whenever anything is traded openly on markets then there will always be leeches who are trying to live off the buying and selling of others instead of contributing to society...
    Mar 20 9
    • “we could rebuild the system without landlords that would be 1000x better than what we have now.” Can you provide the evidence that backs this claim? Every attempt to plan the economy has failed miserably, show a place where that works.
      Mar 20
    • “Buy a house with a friend/roommate” can’t believe this nonsense… People don’t trust others to buy cars together imagine buying a home together haha but sure, let’s indulge your idea…

      So you would have 2 families? Or only while you both are single? What if one wants to leave? Do you have another friend in line that can buy his part and whom you’ll get along just fine?

      How about all the people that can’t afford the downpayment and don’t have someone else to buy with? (It’s a huge commitment to buy a house with another person)

      What if you want to upgrade? Will you sell and buy every so often? Or if you need to move for a job?

      How about all the people that move often for work? Or the people that live in one place but rent in other to be part time close to family. Do they need to buy in both places?

      I’m sure all the people that believe in this idiotic concept of planning the economy/society will come up with more idiotic ideas for each scenario, instead of admitting their approached is flawed and bound to failure.
      Mar 20
  • Left wingers are leach on society. All they do is whine and demand others pay for their stuff.

    How can landlords be leeches if they pay for the property? By that definition they are a leech because they don't provide value to poor crackheads who want to buy another crack house?
    Mar 20 1
  • Apple
    👻 ofTCpast

    Go to company page Apple

    👻 ofTCpast
    I think apartments are fine. But houses fuck no. Whoever buys property for investing GTFO. Ruining for folks who make low TC.
    Mar 20 2
    • Argo AI
      whatsaTC

      Go to company page Argo AI

      whatsaTC
      Not always bad. Especially in abandoned communities. My friends buy up blocks of properties that the city refused to renovate. Where no one lives and is just wasting away. Then they turn it into affordable housing for people in need. Because the area was a throw away area for the city to begin with the initial purchase for each house is like 10-30k. Then renovations. They still make profit and the tenants still pay less than they would if they went thru public assistance. In turn businesses are starting to come back and so are more opportunities.
      Mar 20
    • Apple
      SPwt44

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      SPwt44
      would you rather rent from a person or Blackrock? lol
      Mar 21
  • Amazon
    Chilipi☺️

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    Chilipi☺️
    Why are things so 0/1 for you?

    Why can't it be the case where the situation depends on the personality and greed of the landlord in addition to many other factors?

    Thinks are not always as clear as you'd like them to be
    Mar 20 0