On the surface, it does not seem
like divorce would cause such a great impact on housing. However, when you
think about it a little more closely you start to see how it is already
affecting housing provision around the world.
Divorce rates are rising alarmingly and with so many families being
split up, it is only logical that more homes need to be provided and also smaller
homes. For couples who “manage” to stay together for social or religious
reasons, the two of them together are often beneficially greater than either
one of them independently. While one of them may have health issues, the other
may be strong enough to help with support and medication. In a sense, no matter
what the faults or weaknesses, with a two person partnership it is far more
likely that the two will be able to live independently in their one home for
far longer than if it were just one of them. Once split up, each partner would
require a great deal more support which would mean an increase in medical care
and finances that could be quite significant and unavailable. It is sometimes
pitiful when you visit an old uncle or aunt who used to be very vibrant and
mobile back in their day and to see what has become of them now that they are
alone living with a houseboy or housegirl or even a distant distant relative
who has no real interest in their welfare other than pocketing the money that
the kids who are spread far and wide, send home from time to time. This is a growing problem and in the next few
years will reach epidemic proportions. In Nigeria we have not really noticed
the impact on housing yet because the older generation still manages to live in
their old family homes which are decaying around them with no one to maintain
them. Of course immediately they die, the kids sell the property to the highest
bidder. If this family home is on a large plot of land in Ikoyi, Victoria
Island or Ikeja, you can bet that in an apartment block will be put up in its
place
Younger divorced couples are now
buying or renting homes and apartments on serviced estates where essential
services like security and power are provided, apart from their personal care.
In the next few years we may need to consider going the way of other developed
countries and building retirement homes for the growing divorced aging
population. Abroad the Governments have already taken notice of this increase
in divorce rates and have invested in research into understanding the increase
as well as preventing its continuation. Many are stating that the UK Government
needs to start investing in saving marriages if it has any hopes of keeping its
current enviable housing and care system manageable!
Whatever the cause of this
increase in divorce, the ramifications are clear; the housing sector will be severely
affected should this trend continue. That being said, although Nigeria is not a
“welfare friendly” country, it may be wise for the Government to start to look
into ways to help ease the growing problem of divorce and its future impact, otherwise
there may not be enough resources to sustain the looming housing provision for
as long as it will be needed. This growing problem is something that should taken
up by media and overall society awareness, especially as our health care system
already cannot support all the strains being created simple health demands, not
to talk of increasing health issues. In the UK, the Government has tried to
ease the pain of home ownership for all by starting “The Help to Buy Mortgage Scheme”
which program allows people to buy homes at a much reduced interest rate of
something like 3%. It comes in two different varieties. The first of these is
the interest-free loan opportunity. The second allows the Government to
function as the guarantor for a portion of the borrower’s debt. The mortgage
guarantees provided by “Help To Buy” are open to first-time home buyers as well
as home movers. The purpose of this part of the program is to help those buyers
who do not have enough money to put down as a deposit on their home. If this is
the only thing preventing the borrower, the “Help to Buy” program will help to
raise enough money for the initial deposit. In Nigeria it is unfortunately a
case of “everyman for himself and God for us all” with no Government
intervention, unless steps can be taken NOW to redress what is already a
growing problem. Even with the rate of construction by private developers, it
will not be enough to meet the needs of what is coming ahead. As the say “to be
forewarned, is to be forearmed”
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