It’s not so much “the American Dream” as the universal dream to own a piece of property. It’s almost something I took for granted when I was growing up; one day I’ll own a home of your own. It’s also something that I figured would give me stability when I was old. Unfortunately, those dreams seem to be getting less and less attainable as the property market sky rocketed because everyone else seems to have exactly same train of thought as me.

The problem with trying to enter the property market for the first time is that property isn’t just desirable as a home. Properties are the one investment that seems to me to be almost guaranteed never to fall in value. Then there’s far more competition for me for any piece of property that I might see. The worst part is that it’s the people who already have a piece of property are more likely to be able to raise the cash for another one with a mortgage.

Both I and my partner earn decent salaries, but to get any sort of nice home we feel like we need to be earning almost ten times as much. There is always the temptation to try and stretch myself further than I should, just so I can have a piece of property to call my own. It’s like there is a compulsion driving me and that’s what seems to be driving the housing into the stratosphere.

Working on National Guarantee keeps me supplied with horror stories about what happens to those people who overstretch themselves to buy property. It’s these horror stories that keep me well away from the loan department of my bank. Otherwise I might be one of those people in the stories at some point soon.

What’s putting more strain on me because it’s driving up the house prices is this huge spate of buying to let. This is great when I’m renting because it means that rental prices should go down, but when I look around to buy, it’s this that’s going to make things nightmarish for me.

It makes me really angry, but I understand the reasoning behind it. I know that if I was in the fortunate position of already owning a property I would be very tempted to join the buy to let group.

Why put my money into stocks and shares or the bank when I can invest it in property and know that regardless of what happens I still have assets? Add to that the steady income of rental and there don’t really seem to be any reasons not to do it. The single biggest problem is getting the money together to afford it at first. Theoretically, after that it should pay for itself.

As a renter I am thoroughly for the increase in properties that people buy to let. However, the moment I seriously look around for a property I know my attitude will do a 180 degree change.