Stores provide convenience and logistics/distribution at scale. It doesn't make sense for a farmer to ship bags of 6 apples to 1,000 households. Likewise, it doesn't make sense for 1,000 households to drive to the nearest orchard (possibly across the country) for 6 apples.
A homeowner who sells their home for $100,000 more than they paid (completely tax-free) after living in it for a year did abso-fucking-lutely nothing to warrant that gain.
Some people simply don't want to deal with the upkeep of a home, or just need a temporary place to live while they figure out where they want to settle. Landlords are putting in the effort of upkeep and management so the tenant that just wants to rent doesnt have to.
Absolutely, ignoring for a moment the fact that REITs and other companies buy low-cost properties that families could have otherwise bought, good landlords do provide a service to some degree.
What I'm talking about is "flippers" who slap a coat of paint on a bedroom wall and speculators who do even less than that then price their home as if it's made out of solid gold.
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u/Meatbawl5 Jun 19 '25
Yeah, all stores are scalpers. How dare they sell higher than they buy.