Articles:
Is it selfish to buy a second home?
SB May 2007
Buying a second home is still a dream for many
of us. If you are coming close to realising
your dream, maybe all the accusations about
second home buyers that are flying around are a
bit worrying for you. A recent article called
second home buyers “The most selfish people in
Britain”!
So what are the arguments against buying a
second home?
Empty properties.
Residents in areas with a large number of second homes
complain that the places where they live
have become ghost towns or villages. Many
of the properties are owned by second home
buyers who only use them for short periods,
so they are lying empty the rest of the
time.
Cost of homes.
People buying a second home are accused of
pushing up house prices in the area so that
they are out of the reach of local people,
who then have to move away.
Local services.
Another complaint is that local shops and
other services suffer because second home
buyers bring their food, drinks and other
supplies with them rather than purchasing
them locally. Because so many of the
properties are second homes, there aren’t
enough local people left to support the
services, which may then be forced out of
business.
Environment.
People buying a second home are attacked for
their environmental impact. They use their
cars to travel to their second homes every
weekend, and consume double their share of
energy by running two homes both with
heating systems, fridges, washing machines
and so on. Moreover they keep their heating
systems running throughout the winter when
they are not using their homes.
So what are you to make of these accusations?
If you’ve set your heart on buying a second
home, or you already have one and are very
attached to it, should you change your plans?
Well, of course, only you can make this
decision. But if you are already buying a
second home there are things you can do to
minimise your impact.
If you are planning on buying a second home,
look as near to your main home as possible.
Keep the amount of travelling to a minimum.
Your second home will be of more use to you
if you can use it more. And you will reduce
the amount of time it lies empty.
Try to make your second home as eco-friendly
as possible. Minimise the amount of energy
you need to use to keep it warm in winter.
Use local shops. Don’t bring all your
supplies with you - buy them locally. If
they don’t have everything you want, build
up a relationship with the shop owners and
order your supplies ahead of time. They
will be glad of the business.
Patronise the local pub! Many country pubs
are struggling, so help keep them in
business. If you relax over a pint and get
to know local people, they will see that
second home buyers are normal people and
don’t have horns and a tail.
Try to become an asset to the local community.
You will reduce resentment and enjoy your second
home so much more.
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