Global Q&A: ‘How possible is it for a young couple to own their own home in your country?’

Lima, Perú: Livia Sáenz, 30, Health Visitor: Young couples in my country have little chance of home ownership. First, you have to have a down payment of more or less 30% of the value of the house. Sometimes you find scam companies that do not give you the house on time, or even at all. You ask for your money back, and when you get it back, it’s less than 50% of the total. I mean what is going on here is the worst of all scenarios. Companies "screen" without funds. This is what I have drawn from my experience when I decided to buy a house with my husband four years ago. A lot of effort was put into saving for the house because salaries are not that good.

Across the globe, the majority of young couples are unable to own their own homes on their own merits. Inheritances, funds from parents, or well paid jobs plus funds saved as a deposit, can make ownership a reality. This is what Epoch Times reporters from areas such as Peru to United Arab Emirates discovered when they asked locals, “How possible is it for a young couple to own their own home in your country?”

Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question, “What good has your government achieved this year to date?”