A Georgian house has a regular shape. The style developed in England during the 1700's and 1800's.
A split-level house has a level half a floor above the main level and, in
some cases, another level half a floor below.
A ranch-style house has all its rooms on
one level. Such houses are popular in Australia and the United States.
Terraced houses, or town houses, line
the streets of many cities. Such houses share a wall with a neighbouring house.
Mud houses, like these in Mali, provide good shelter from the heat
in areas where there is little rainfall.
Houses in southern Europe, like this one in Spain, have thick stone walls painted
white to reflect the sunlight.
A traditional timber house in Malaysia is raised on stilts to protect it from
flooding.
Houses in Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands, are built of traditional
materials which are all found in the forest.
A half-timbered house of
the 1400's had wall frames of wattle and daub—timber
filled with a mixture of clay, lime, and water laid on woven sticks.
Modern houses are built from materials such as steel and reinforced
concrete, like this house designed by Harry Seidler at Turramurra in Sydney.
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House is a building that
provides shelter, comfort, and protection. Houses vary in size from one-roomed
mud huts to many-roomed mansions. They may have only one storey
(floor), or several storeys. They stand in cities, towns, and villages, and in
both suburban areas and the country. Types of houses vary with the needs and
wealth of the inhabitants, and with the building materials that are available.
Many large buildings are divided into flats,
or apartments. Each
flat is a complete, self-contained home on one storey. Houses may also be
divided into self-contained maisonettes, each
occupying two or more storeys.
Styles of houses vary widely from country to country. And, in many
countries, the style of new houses has changed with passing time. Many house
styles are named after the country or period of their origin. Others are named
after the architects who created them. European historical styles include
Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo. Architects
who
founded styles used for houses include the Italian Andrea
Palladio and the Adam brothers of Britain. For a description of styles in
architecture, see Architecture.
The factors that influence the size and design of houses include
climate, social customs, building techniques and materials, fashion, and
wealth. Religious beliefs also influence style. For example, houses in some
countries of eastern Asia have roofs that curve upwards at the eaves. The
people believe that these roofs protect them from evil spirits. Other house
styles are a result of social conditions. For example, in Britain during the
early 18001 s, many wealthy people and the nobility commissioned
the best architects to design their homes. They built fine, graceful houses
suited to a leisurely life requiring large domestic staffs. But, today, most
new houses are easy to maintain and comfortable for small families.
Local styles of houses are now less common than in earlier times.
House styles have become more uniform in most parts of the world, because of
new building materials and methods. A factory may produce prefabricated parts
for houses to be erected quickly on site, instead of being built in stages.
Environment has an important effect
on the houses that people build. In areas of great heat or cold, houses must be
built to protect people from extreme temperatures. The traditional houses of
the Eskimo people of the Arctic were built of blocks of snow. These snowhouses,
called igloos, provided excellent
insulation against the very low temperatures outside (see Igloo). In the extreme
heat of the deserts of the Middle East, nomadic people
called Bedouins lived in large tents made of fabric woven from the hair of
their camels or goats. The thick material protected the people from the sun but
could be opened at the sides so that air could circulate. Since the mid-1900's
both of these traditional styles of house have been replaced by housing built
of more modern materials.
In Japan, houses were traditionally made from light materials,
such as paper and bamboo. These paper houses
collapse harmlessly if there is a volcanic eruption or an earthquake. Then the
people can quickly and cheaply rebuild them. The stilt
houses of Southeast Asia are also well adapted to their environment.
People build these houses on tall poles in areas where floods might wash away
ordinary houses, or where insect pests might invade them.
In alpine regions, where much snow falls, houses have steeply
sloping roofs. As a result, the snow falls off easily. Sloping roofs are also
needed in places where heavy seasonal rains fall. But, in hot, dry countries
many houses are box-like, with flat roofs. The houses remain cool in the
intense heat because the shuttered windows are small and the thick walls are
painted white to reflect the sunlight
In towns and cities, land is expensive, and much housing must
occupy a small area. As a result, builders may construct tall blocks of flats
or long, continuous rows of terraced houses. But,
in the country, more land is available, and detached
houses and single-storey bungalows
stand in their own large gardens or grounds. The suburbs of many British cities
have semi-detached houses, each of which is
linked to a similar house.
Materials used to build houses
vary from mud and grass for tribal huts to factory-made one-room units for
slocks of flats. Kinds of materials may be divided into two types: traditional,
and modern.
Traditional materials include snow, mud,
wood, bark, twigs, creepers, grass, leaves, dried blood, and stones. They may
be used as they are found. Generally they are not strong materials. As a
result, houses built from them must be small. But bamboo is strong and light,
and it may be split and joined easily. Large jungle leaves give good protection
from heavy rain. Mud seals cracks in walls and prevents draughts. A mixture of
mud and animals' blood dries to make a solid floor.
Traditional materials also include wood, stone, timber, slate,
tile, bricks, mortar, and plaster. They include natural and manufactured
materials that are fashioned with tools. All heavily wooded countries have many
timber houses. These houses are warm in cold weather, because wood is a good
insulator. Stone houses are common in areas where stone can be quarried
locally. But stone is a bad insulator and stone walls must be thick. Slate and
factory-made tiles make strong, permanent roofs.
Wood has long been a popular building material because
it is usually more plentiful and cheaper than other materials. Wood can be cut
and shaped to provide a variety of house styles. Wood is also popular because
so many different types are available. Wood is also used for such interior
features as stairways, cabinets, floors, and doors. Wood can be natural,
stained, painted, or carved. See Timber.
Brick is one of the oldest and most common
building materials. Brick wears well and, like wood, is usually easy to obtain.
Bricks are available in a number of colours and finishes. See Brick.
Concrete block and stone make strong, attractive
houses. Concrete blocks are made by pouring a mixture of cement into a mould.
They make durable houses that are relatively cheap to maintain. Builders also
make houses of stone that has been taken from quarries and split into usable
sizes. Because stone is an expensive building material, it is usually applied
in a veneer, or coating, over an
inner wall of brick or concrete block. See Building stone; Cement and concrete.
Modern materials in today's houses
differ greatly from those of 100 or even 50 years ago. Industries have developed
new materials that help architects design better, longer-lasting houses. For
example, builders once used iron for gutters and pipes. The iron rusted. Today,
builders can use plastic, which does not rust. Aluminium, which does not rust,
and nonrotting plastic materials such as PVC can be used instead of wood or
metal for window frames and doors.
Older houses usually had small windows that let in only a small
amount of light. Their window frames were loosely constructed and were not
always airtight.
Houses today have improved, airtight window frames to conserve
heat.
Building
a house
Planning the house. The way a house is
built depends on the style of house and on the kind of materials chosen. In
most countries, an architect works with the builder to propose plans on the new
house. These plans must conform to local laws and electrical, building, and
plumbing codes (see Housing (Local housing controls]).
The architect then designs the house according to the buyer's
ideas. He or she makes specifications and blueprints. They provide information
on size, materials, and how the house is to be built. The architect may also supervise
the actual construction of the house.
The foundation supports the house.
First, building workers begin excavating, or
digging, holes or trenches for the footings, the
lowest part of the foundation. The footings support each wall load. They are
made by pouring concrete into wood or steel forms. Footings usually extend
from 30 to 180 centimetres beneath ground level. Builders generally use
concrete or concrete block for the house's foundation, which may extend from 20
to 90 centimetres above the ground.
The area within the foundation below the first storey is the basement.
Basements add to the cost of building a house, but they provide extra room.
In many low or damp regions, houses are raised above the ground on
concrete piers, or supports. Sometimes
a slab foundation is laid
directly on the ground, especially if the earth beneath the house is hard. The
ground must first be graded, or
levelled. Workers then spread a filler,
usually stone, and cover it with a moisture proof paper. The filler and the
paper prevent moisture from coming through the slab that is made by pouring
concrete, about 10 centimetres thick, directly on top of the paper.
Outer walls may be made up of courses
(layers) of bricks, or of a wooden frame. The frame supports vertical wooden
walls.
The roof seals the top of the
house. Some roofs are flat, but most are slanted. Slanted roofs are often
formed by pieces of timber called rafters.
Carpenters nail the bottom ends of the rafters to the plates at the top of the
outside walls. The rafters slant from the plates and meet at the ridgeboard, a
board placed at the ridge, or
top edge, of the roof. Rafters support the weight of the roof. Joists support
the weight of the floor.
After carpenters nail a sheathing
(inner layer) of fibreboard or plasterboard to the tops of the rafters, they
add heavy building paper or building felt to it. Then they add the final layer
of slate, or tiles, or roofing asphalt Flashing, or
strips of sheet metal, placed around the chimney and other roof openings,
insulates the roof from the chimney and also prevents water from leaking into
the house. See Roof.
Interior construction includes (1) floors,
(2) walls, (3) windows, and (4) doors.
Floors may be made of wooden
boards or a wood covering. Most finished floors are made of hardwoods such as
maple or oak that have been finely sanded and later sealed with a wood filler.
The wood may then be finished with wax, shellac, or varnish. Other floors have
coverings such as linoleum or rubber, vinyl, or asphalt tile. See Flooring.
Walls. Rooms are made by
building inside walls after the outside walls have been attached to the
foundation. Inside walls, are called partitions.
If plaster is to be applied, the interior walls must first be
covered with lath, or
strips of wood, metal, or plasterboard. The lath is set horizontally about 8
centimetres apart. Wallboard, plasterboard, or plywood may be used in place of
plaster (see Wallboard).
Windows. Most
parts of a window come from a factory or builder's merchant, already cut in
the proper sizes. See Window.
Doors. Both
doors and door frames may usually be bought ready-made. Carpenters attach the
doors high enough to swing over rugs or carpets. A threshold
fills in the space under an outside door.
Electrical wiring provides lighting and
furnishes outlets for lamps, washing machines, and other appliances. In some
houses, electricity also provides heat. Electricians install wiring. Wiring is
done in a series of circuits. Each set of wires has several outlets. Electricians
often place the wiring for central heating on a separate circuit. This keeps
the system running if another circuit breaks down.
Wires become hot and can cause fires if they are overloaded, so
electricians install a fuse for each electrical circuit (see Fuse
[Electric]). A fuse box
usually holds all the fuses. If too much current passes through a circuit, the
wire in the fuse melts, or "blows' Electricians often install another
protective device called a circuit breaker,
instead of a fuse box (see Circuit breaker). If
the circuit becomes overloaded, then the circuit breaker will automatically cut
off the current (See Electric circuit).
Plumbing. During
construction, plumbers install the pipes that will supply gas and water, and
carry away waste. They install bathroom fixtures and sinks just before other
workers add the finishing touches to the house. Plumbers also install traps to
keep out sewage gas. The trap used for bathroom wash basins, for example, is a
curved pipe directly below the drain. Water settles in the lower part of the
pipe and prevents sewage gas from backing up and leaking into the room. To function
properly, traps must have outside ventilation. The small pipe that projects
from the roof of a house is a ventilating pipe for sewage gas.
A cast-iron waste-disposal pipe runs from inside the house to
about 1.5 metres outside, where it connects with a pipe of another material,
usually clay. This pipe connects the home-disposal pipe with the local sewerage
system. In areas without a local sewerage system, a septic
tank near the house holds sewage until it dissolves. Water from the
sewage flows through pipes into the ground. The sludge remaining in the tank
must be removed at intervals. See Plumbing; Sewage.
Insulation reduces the amount of
heat or cold that passes through walls, floors, and ceilings. When the air
around the house is warmer or colder than the air inside, heat passes from the
warm air to the cold air. This means that in winter, the heat will pass to the
outside, and the house will become cold. In summer, the heat outside passes
into the house. Insulation fills the air spaces in walls, floors, and ceilings,
and creates dead- air space. This
helps prevent heat loss. Insulation can reduce fuel costs in heating a house.
See insulation.
Heating and air conditioning may also be fitted. See Air
conditioning; Heating.
Landscaping is the last step in
building a house. Most builders try to keep the natural outline of the land and
to preserve the trees. Of course, some levelling and some excavating of land
must be done. After the house is finished, the builder may plant seed or lay
rolls of grass turf for a lawn around the house. The builder may also plant
trees and shrubs. See Gardening; Landscape architecture.
Many people prefer to build their own houses. But most new houses
in developed countries are built by companies or local government authorities,
who then offer the houses for sale or rent. For the various ways of financing
housing projects, see Housing. For a description of the general principles of
building see Building Construction.
Buying
and renting houses.
Finding a house. In most countries, estate
agents, or brokers, help
people who wish to buy or sell houses by keeping lists of houses for sale. In
some countries, housing co-operatives buy
and .sell houses. If a person wishes to buy a house in a particular area, an
agent gives him details of suitable houses. The acjfcnt arranges for the buyer
to visit the properties, and helps in the negotiations between the buyer and
seller. The agent may also arrange an expert inspection of the property, and
help to secure a mortgage loan. See Mortgage. The
agent receives a commission
(fee) from t^l-seller when the house is sold.
Some sellers advertise their houses f(3r sale in newspapers and
other places. The buyer then negotiates the sale directly with the seller. No
agent's fee need be paid, and, as a result, the price may be lower. In some
countries there are no estate agents, and lawyers do not negotiate the sale.
Instead, banks may help. Many development companies and building contractors
also offer their houses for sale directly to buyers.
Inspecting
the house. Buyers should inspect a house thoroughly. They should see whether
the site is low-lying and liable to flooding, and whether it is exposed to
strong winds. They should study the living accommodation to see that it is
arranged in a convenient and labour-saving way. A buyer should also study the
general condition of the house. A house in bad condition may have leaning,
bulging, or cracked walls, a sagging roof ridge, or damp patches on the walls
and ceilings.
Before deciding to buy the house, the buyer should have it
inspected by a qualified surveyor. The surveyor will look for such defects as
damp, rot, woodworm, subsidence, and defects in the walls, roof, and beams.
The surveyor will check the plumbing, drainage, and electric and gas fittings.
In his report, the surveyor will tell the buyer whether any money need be spent
on repairs, and whether the price asked is fair.
Financing
the purchase. If the buyer cannot
afford to pay the whole of the purchase price of the house, he or she can
generally borrow part or all of it. The person lending the money keeps the title
deeds (documents of ownership) of the house until the loan is repaid.
The borrower must generally repay the loan in instalments.
If the borrower fails to repay the loan, the lender can sell the
house to recover the money. This kind of loan is called a mortgage
loan. Mortgage loans may be made by a bank, insurance company, local or
national government authority, building society, or private person.
Renting. Many
people rent houses and flats instead of buying them. A person may occupy a
rented house on a tenancy or on a lease. A leaseholder has
a legal contract with the landlord
(owner) of the house. This lease states that the leaseholder may occupy the
house for a certain period at a fixed rent. The period of the lease may be a
few years, or as much as 100 years. The leaseholder buys the lease, and also
pays the landlord an annual ground rent.
A tenant has
no lease. Generally, a tenancy is for an indefinite period, and the tenant may
leave at any time. The landlord may ask the tenant to leave, and he may ask for
extra rent, which is generally paid weekly, monthly, or yearly. Many landlords
let furnished houses and flats to tenants.
History
In early prehistoric times, people had no houses.
They lived in the open air or in caves. But, as primitive people
learned to use tools, they could build their own shelters. If mud and straw
were available, they built mud huts with thatched roofs. If they lived near a
forest, they built shelters from the branches of trees. In many countries,
people lived in cliff dwellings built against the rock face, or in natural
caves. In the river areas of Asia, people lived in houseboats on the water.
People still live on boats, and, in some parts of the world, a few people still
live in huts and shelters much like those of prehistoric people.
As early civilizations developed, people learnt to shape natural
materials and to make new materials for building. About 5,000 years ago, during
the Bronze Age in the ancient civilizations of Babylonia and Egypt, people
built houses with stone and sundried brick. The people of ancient Greece, more
than 2,000 years ago, also used stone and brick for house building. They
covered walls with stucco, a
kind of plaster. The people of ancient Rome built many spacious and luxurious
villas and houses. These villas had brick walls, tiled roofs and baths, mosaic floors,
lead plumbing, and under-floor heating. Some had glass windows. People in
Arabia, India, China, and Japan developed advanced town- civilizations, with
well laid out streets of houses. Some houses were multi-storey.
During the AD. 400's and 500's in Europe, the Roman Empire
declined, and people forgot the Roman methods of house building. In many
countries, they built barnlike wooden houses supported by huge arched timbers.
They built few stone houses. But, by the 1000's, people in Europe had built many
large castles for protection against attack. The great hall of such a castle
might hold many families. During the Middle Ages, life became more peaceful in
Europe. Merchants became rich, and towns developed. Houses were built close
together in narrow streets. They had frames of timber and walls made from wattle
and daub. This was a base of wattle (interwoven
sticks or twigs) over which was daubed, or
spread, a mixture of clay, lime, water, and sometimes dung or chopped straw to
make the wall airtight.
During the 1400’s, architects in Europe developed the Renaissance
style of architecture from the classical styles of ancient Greece and Rome.
They built houses with wide staircases, formal fagades
(fronts), and spacious rooms. In the next 400 years, architects in Europe and
other continents developed many new styles. The Europeans took some of their
styles to America, Africa, Asia and Australia. For a description of these
styles, see Architecture.
In the 1800s and 1900's, the demand for houses increased, as
populations in many countries began to increase rapidly. Scientists and
engineers produced many new building materials and methods. Factories mass-
produced parts that had previously been handmade. Architects could design
houses with completely new forms, using such materials as steel, reinforced concrete,
plate-glass, and plastics. In the 1900's, modern styles of house design were
used in almost every country of the world. A new house built in Japan might
look much like one built in Denmark.
In the 1950's, designers developed system
building. In this method of house construction, builders use large
factory-built units, such as wall and roof frames and panels. As a result,
houses can be built extremely quickly by assembling the units on the site. These
methods have been widely used in many countries, but traditional house-building
methods continue to be favoured by many house-buyers.
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circuit, Nail, Architecture, Flooring, Plaster, Brick, Furniture, Plastics,
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decoration, Ventilation, Cement and concrete, Lighting, Wallboard, Mortgage and
Window.
Housing Development
Early slab houses in Australia were built by pioneers using tree trunks
that were squared with an adze.
Housing blocks can be arranged so that they seem separate. In a housing
project in Montreal, Canada, above, each block was prefabricated (completed before it was set in place).
Blocks of flats like these in the
Brooklyn borough of New York City are the homes of millions of people. Most
tall apartment buildings are located in heavily populated areas, where land is
scarce and expensive.
Housing includes any kind of
building that provides shelter for people. In a broader sense, it is planned
provision of homes and concerns itself with problems of city planning, and
community services that provide good living conditions.
Safe, sanitary, comfortable dwellings are called standard
housing. Housing that has proper
heating and ventilation helps people stay in good health. Good housing
provides enough space for every member of the family to have some privacy and
freedom. Standard housing includes hot and cold running water and a
well-planned sewage disposal system. It also provides electric light at night
and lets in plenty of sunlight by day.
Poorly constructed, run-down, unsanitary, or overcrowded
dwellings are called substandard housing. Using
this definition, most of the world's people live in substandard housing. Many
people in Europe's less industrialized countries are badly housed. Throughout
Asia, Africa, and Latin America, millions of people live in crude dwellings that
barely provide shelter. Around many of the major cities in these countries
stand large areas of substandard dwellings which house rural people who have
moved to the cities in search of work. A household is
made up of all the people living in one housing unit.
A neighbourhood with many substandard buildings is called a slum. The
older, central areas of cities often deteriorate and become slums. Most
occupants of slums have low incomes, and several families may live in one
dwelling unit. As a neighbourhood begins to decline, many of its residents who
can afford to move to better areas do so. Their old homes may be taken over by
persons moving into the city who cannot afford better housing.
Most slums have high rates of illness, disease, and crime. Slums
also have inferior community services, including poor schools, inadequate
police and fire protection, infrequent refuse collection, and too few parks
and playgrounds. Some financial institutions refuse to make mortgage or
home-improvement loans in neighbourhoods they consider to be declining. This
practice may speed the development of slums by preventing the purchase or
repair of houses in such neighbourhoods. However, legislation has been passed
in some countries to discourage this practice.
Prejudice and discrimination prevent many members of minority
groups from having adequate housing. In many Western countries, nonwhites,
Jews, and immigrants have been forced to live in slums or segregated areas
known as ghettos. Increasingly,
legislation has been used to try to eliminate such conditions and to make good
housing available to all.
Private housing projects are groups of buildings
erected at the same time for several hundred or several thousand families. A
housing project may have a group of small houses which will be built much alike
to save costs, a group of town houses, blocks of flats, or a mix of all three.
Local governments often encourage large insurance companies or
other institutions to build communities of homes and flats. Some cities and
states grant such companies special tax reductions on the property. Or they
may clear the land to rid it of slums and then sell it to a private developer.
Suburban
developments. Most housing erected by
individuals or private contractors is built on vacant land on the outskirts of
cities and towns. Vacant land generally costs less in outlying areas, and
there are no buildings that must be destroyed before construction can begin.
Most of these new dwellings are one-family. houses on plots of up 0.2 hectare,
and are bought by the families who move into them.
Every year, thousands of families move into newly built suburban
homes. Entire new communities have been built with shops, cinemas, schools,
churches, and parks. Many big city stores have branches in shopping centres in
these communities.
New
towns. In some cases, the growth of cities has taken the form of
developments called new towns. Such
planned communities are more complex than are suburban developments. Unlike
most residential suburbs, new towns include factories and industries, and many
of the residents both work and live in the community.
Cooperative housing. People sometimes form
non- profit-making corporations to plan, finance, build, and manage the flats
or houses in which they live. When a cooperative builds or buys a block of
flats, individuals buy shares in the corporation. The shares entitle them to
occupy flats, but not to own the units. They share the expense of maintenance,
repair, and improvement for the entire building.
Condominium housing, a form of housing
common in the United States of America, resembles cooperative housing, with one
important difference. In condominium housing, the occupants each own their own
dwelling units, and each has a share in the parts of the building used by all
occupants. They share expenses only for those parts and services of the
building that all of them use. If one or more occupants fail to meet their
financial obligations toward their own units, the other occupants are not
affected. In cooperative housing, all shareholders are responsible if some
occupants fail to meet their financial obligations.
Low-income
and assisted housing
Many people cannot afford the rents or mortgage payments for
standard housing. Many governments have established programmes to provide
assistance for low-income families.
Public housing for low-income families
has traditionally been provided by city housing authorities (organizations).
The authority determines the need for public housing and then plans, develops,
and manages the projects. In many cities, the demand for public housing exceeds
the supply.
Public housing may be provided in several ways. The authority may
build new housing or buy it from a developer. It may buy existing housing and
restore it to good condition. Alternatively, the authority may lease existing
housing.
Local
housing controls
Building codes in many countries
control the construction of new dwellings. They require that new structures
be sturdily built, provide reasonable room sizes, and receive ample light and
air.
Housing codes have been adopted by
many cities to insure that older housing is maintained in good condition.
These codes require housing to have adequate lighting, ventilation, exits,
heating, water, toilets, and refuse and waste disposal. The codes require
owners to keep housing sanitary, to remove fire hazards, and to keep the
building in good repair. Many housing codes limit the number of people who may
sleep in one room.
History
The
Industrial Revolution, which
began in the 1700s, produced much unplanned city development. Thousands of
people moved to cities to find work, and builders put up almost any kind of
housing to meet the demand. Many businesses, factories, and houses stood side
by side on narrow streets. Blocks of tenement houses
appeared in large cities of the United States, France, Great Britain, and other
industrial countries during this period.
By the 1900’s, a world housing shortage existed, chiefly because
of the population increase and the concentration of the population in urban
areas. The expansion of industry, a shortage of construction workers, and a
lack of money for new housing also helped cause the housing shortage.
Housing since 1900. New housing
construction fell to inadequate levels during World Wars I and II because
builders lacked materials. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, people
had little money for building. During the 1960's, more and more families moved
from rural areas to cities to find work, causing serious housing shortages in
spite of stepped-up housing construction.
Millions of homes were damaged or destroyed throughout Europe
during World War II (1939-1945). Since then, much of the housing built in
Europe consists of government-owned blocks of flats that are rented at low
cost. They provide all the basics, including hot and cold running water, heat,
electricity, and separate rooms for parents and children of each sex. Large
numbers of people in almost every class of citizen, from unskilled worker to
professional, live in housing provided by the government.
China has about a billion people, most of whom live in eastern
China. The soil is fertile there, and so housing competes for space with
valuable farm land. Thus, China can provide its people with only the most
minimal housing. If running water is available, it is most often a single tap
providing cold water. Toilets and bathing facilities are shared by many people.
In the mid-1980s, the Chinese government began massive new housing programmes.
In India and South Asia about four-fifths of the people live in
rural villages. In the towns, the British influence is still seen in the
pattern of urban development. Some old cities have alongside them the cantonments, the
military accommodation for officers and men, which now make up the suburban
homes of the middle class. The advent of the Industrial Revolution in India in
the 1800's brought about the migration of many rural people to the cities and
the beginning of severe overcrowding. It was not until the mid-1900's that new
towns were built, such as the garden cities of Lahore and Bangalore. High rise
blocks of flats in the big cities are spacious and air conditioned. However,
these are available only to the very rich. For poorer people, housing is
frequently substandard, without electricity or individual water supplies. Related
articles: Hotel, House, Houseboat, London, Mortgage, Motel, Sanitation, Segregation,
Shelter and TenementRead more...
Salleh Buang formerly served the
Attorney-General’s Chambers before he left for practice, the corporate sector
and, then, the academia.
NST/November
30, 2017
EARLIER
this month (Nov 3), the New Zealand government announced that it would soon
implement a new policy prohibiting foreigners from buying houses in the
country.
Newly-appointed Labour prime
minister, Jacinda Ardern, told the media that she wanted the ban on foreign
house buyers to come into effect before the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
trade agreement is ratified in February next year. She is confident that this
new law and the country’s new policy of cutting back on immigration numbers
will effectively reduce demand on houses and drive down prices in the “heated
housing market”.
She explained that amendments would
be made to the Overseas Investment Act by classifying residential housing as
“sensitive”, thus effectively shutting the door on foreign buyers who are not
residents in the country.
Foreign ownership and a housing
shortage in New Zealand’s larger cities had been among the most pressing issues
dominating the period leading to the recent Sept 23 election, which ended the
nine-year administration of the conservative National Party and allowing the
Labour Party to seize power, making Arden the country’s new prime minister.
Apart from the ban, the new
administration would also be introducing a “rent-to-own” housing scheme to help
more New Zealanders acquire their own homes. Ardern said a new Housing
Commission would be established, whose mission is to ensure that more affordable
houses will be available for first-time buyers.
Within a short period of being
appointed as the new head of government, Ardern was thus able to do three
things to resolve the housing problem in the country — formulate a new policy,
pass a new law to enforce the policy and set up a Housing Commission to pursue
the new agenda through to its completion. Will these new initiatives work?
While I am not sure of the answer, I am, nevertheless, fascinated by her
resolve. Perhaps, something along those lines could be considered by our
government in the near future.
In recent times, New Zealand has
become a popular destination for foreigners to “park their money” by buying up
properties in the country. In Auckland (the nation’s largest city), average
house prices have hit the NZ$1 million (RM2.83 million) mark — a price beyond
the affordability of most of the country’s urban population. To address the
problem, the earlier administration had imposed a tax on foreign buyers, but
that did not seem to have any effect on reducing home prices.
Malaysia is no different from New
Zealand, as it is also a popular destination for foreign property buyers. In
cities like Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru and Penang, house prices hit the RM1
million mark a long time ago. We have not, however, imposed a tax on foreign
buyers.
Apart from New Zealand, what other
countries impose a ban on foreign house buyers? In Australia, non-resident
investors are barred from buying resale homes unless they plan to occupy them.
In Singapore, restrictions are also imposed on foreigners; they can buy
condominium units, but are prohibited from buying landed properties, and
properties built by Singapore’s Housing Development Board, which are
exclusively for Singaporeans.
There is no blanket ban on foreigners
buying homes in Malaysia. They cannot buy low-cost houses and those built on
Malay reserve land, but the million-dollar homes are available for them. In
2014, Selangor came up with its guideline. Effective Sept 1 that year,
foreigners were allowed to buy residential properties priced at least RM2
million in areas categorised as Zone 1 and 2, and at least RM1 million in Zone
3. Foreigners are not allowed to purchase landed properties (unless they are in
a gated community with Landed Strata title), or those sold by public auction.
It is this rule — that foreigners can
purchase houses in the million-ringgit bracket — that has prompted property
developers in the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Baru to build houses in that
price range.
According to a recent Bank Negara
Malaysia (BNM) report, the number of unsold houses is at a decade-high, with a
majority of them (83 per cent) priced RM250,000 and above, clearly unaffordable
to most Malaysians. The report said supply-demand imbalances in the property
market had increased since 2015 because of the mismatch between the prices of
new housing launches and what the average Malaysian household could afford to
pay. Johor has the largest share of unsold residential units (27 per cent of
total unsold properties in Malaysia), followed by Selangor (21 per cent), Kuala
Lumpur (14 per cent) and Penang (eight per cent).
The BNM report raises the question
whether it is time for us to cap the price of houses that a housing developer
can sell.
Since the majority of our population
can afford to buy a house of not more than RM150,000 each, shouldn’t we have a
policy requiring a private sector housing developer to build at least 30 per
cent of their new project as “affordable houses” (say, not more than RM200,000
in category A areas and not more than RM150,000 in category B areas)? Beyond
that, a developer should be required to build at least 20 per cent
medium-priced houses (say, not more than RM300,000 in category A areas and not
more than RM200,000 in category B areas). Locations in category A include Klang
Valley, Johor Baru and Penang, while locations in category B include Ipoh, Alor
Star, Melaka, Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Baru). Only housing developers
who are prepared to build these two categories of houses (totalling 50 per cent
of their project) will be allowed to build the remaining 50 per cent at higher
prices (RM400,000 and above), of which not more than 10 per cent can be sold at
RM1 million and above.
Foreigners should only be allowed to
buy the higher-priced units.
Property
Glut
A
freeze on approvals for new property development projects in Kuala Lumpur could
help stabilise the whole market and reduce property market overhang to some
extent.
The freeze means there will be no new
supply entering the market at least for a few years (except for projects
already given approvals prior to November 1), until the ban is lifted or when
the market has balanced itself.
The freeze is on approvals for four
types of developments, namely shopping malls, offices, serviced apartments and
luxury condominiums priced over RM1 million in the capital.
It comes following a study by Bank
Negara Malaysia showing there was a glut in the property market…
Faster apartment building
was instrumental in pulling the U.S. housing market out of its slump a decade
ago. Now, that engine is starting to throttle back.
A softening in
the multifamily segment is something to keep an eye on even as overall
home building -- which includes single-family dwellings that make up the largest
share of the market -- is expected to keep moving forward.
The supply of apartments
and condominiums has surged in recent years as builders responded to
rising demand, fueled in part by young Americans who preferred to rent
rather than purchase a home in the aftermath of the recession. A surge in
prices for single-family properties, as the real-estate market recovered from
its 2006 plunge, also made apartments more attractive for both builders and
people unable to buy.
The following
charts show how multifamily construction is maturing and what that implies for
the economy.
Many of the
recent projects are finished and ready to rent. A Commerce Department report on
Friday showed completions of multifamily units in October reached the
fastest annualized rate in almost three decades…
More news...
More news...
KUALA LUMPUR: While housing in some states in Malaysia are more affordable than others
with a well-functioning median multiple of three times, Kuala Lumpur and Penang
are “severely unaffordable”, Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) said. ...
“For Kuala Lumpur, given the median ...
It also says that Malaysian property developers' profit
margins - at 21% - are higher than those in the UK, the United States and
Thailand (see ...
Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT) is one of the
capital gains tax imposed in Malaysia. RPGT is charged on gains arising from the disposal of real ...
Private developers continue to focus
on building homes most ... and HousingDevelopers' Association Malaysia (Rehda) showed close to half (49 .... it expensive to develop affordable housing, which explains why only 35
per ...
The most expensive housing in Malaysia can
be found in Kuala Lumpur, with house prices averaging around MYR 772,126 (US$
173,902) in Q3 2016. Perlis ...
Andaman @ QuaysideA newly launched
project in Penang, featuring a seafront resort condominium, Andaman at Quayside
is a plot of ...
Why Affordable Housing Is Needed In Malaysia? ... financial situations and jump
into purchasing an expensive housing unit well out of league.
“The right ones are too expensive, while the ones we can afford are
not suitable,” ... The same research projects Malaysia's national housing ...
Mont Kiara is an affluent township
that houses most of the expats in Kuala Lumpur ... to be one of the most expensive properties in Malaysia (one penthouse was ...
Nine out of 11 cities in Malaysia are considered not affordable.
Find out which city has the most expensive
property price, and you may be ...
Malaysia Housing Markets...
Malaysia Housing Markets...
PETALING JAYA: Despite the economic
growth, Malaysia’s commercial and housing
property market continues to face a glut, said
Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.... “In the first quarter
of 2017 about 130,000 unsold units of high-end properties are actually ...
Real estate veteran says property
market could crash and bring the price
of new homes costing RM500,000 down to RM300,000. PETALING JAYA: The property market will take a terrible hit
next year, with developers and house owners facing one of the toughest times to
find buyers, says ...
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian property market is
seeing improved sentiment, according to iProperty.com CEO for Malaysia and
Singapore ...
PETALING JAYA: The property bubble in Malaysia is set to burst, but the
government must resist the temptation to intervene and allow market ...
A glance at changes in property,
house and real estate prices in Malaysia.
Get the Latest Property News and
Reports in Malaysia and Around the Region ... reports surfacing with regards to the
severity of situation of the property
market.
Trapped mode: (right) Lee says
the housing market remains trapped in a ... Malaysia'smandate to build 500,000 units of affordable housing for ...
A report by Free Malaysia Today (FMT), yesterday, 14
November, cited property expert Ernest Cheong, who opined that a market crash could ...
The Malaysian House Price Index ·
Annual Property Market Report - Overview Table · Property
Market Report First Half. Reports -
Available for Sale at JPPH/ ...
"Malaysia will be nursing a property overhang in 2017 - The market's condition will be the same as
or even worse than what it has been last year. I foresee that ...
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