In an era where people say 'don't buy a house now,' I am thinking the opposite
“You shouldn't build a house right now.”
In an era where people say that, I am thinking about houses.
I hear it often lately.
“Mortgage interest rates are rising, so now is not the time to build a house.”
I certainly think that is true.
Construction costs are rising,
and land prices are also going up.
Furthermore,
the long-standing era of low interest rates
is also starting to change little by little.
That is why, right now,
I think many people who are trying to build a house
are feeling anxious.
To be honest—
I am one of them.
“Isn't the timing terrible right now?”
There are times when I think that.
If only I had bought it sooner...
If only it were in an era of low interest rates...
If only it were before construction costs rose...
I end up thinking things like that.
But recently,
I have started to think the opposite.
“Isn't what is truly scary
the fact that the value of money itself is falling?”
I wonder.
Right now, prices are rising all over the world.
Food costs.
Electricity bills.
Gasoline.
Insurance.
And houses.
In other words,
the value of cash
is thinning out little by little.
That is why, right now,
many people are starting to convert their cash into
・Stocks
・Bonds
・Gold
・Real estate
and other 'assets'.
“Don't just hold onto money.”
I feel like we are entering such an era.
Thinking from that perspective,
I thought that owning a house
could be seen not just as 'consumption',
but as a 'defense against inflation'.
Of course,
I also understand the idea that
“renting is better.”
There are property taxes.
There are maintenance costs.
There is population decline.
There is the problem of aging buildings.
Especially in cities,
I think that over the next 20 to 30 years,
the number of old buildings will increase all at once.
If it is a condominium,
・Repair reserve funds
・Pipe replacements
・Exterior wall work
・Elevator maintenance costs
and other costs that residents must bear
will increase.
If the number of people who cannot pay increases,
there is a possibility that maintaining the building itself will become difficult.
Therefore,
it has become an era where one cannot simply say
“home ownership = peace of mind.”
But conversely,
I also think this.
If house prices continue to rise—
won't rent
also continue to rise from here on?
Even for a house you can live in for 100,000 yen now,
in 20 years,
in 30 years,
there is a possibility it could become
150,000 yen,
200,000 yen,
or even more.
When that happens,
to continue living in the same place as now,
you will need a considerable income.
If you cannot pay,
to a smaller house.
To a more inconvenient location.
There may be a future where you have to move.
That is why, recently,
regarding the idea of 'owning a house',
I have started to think that it is not just about profit or loss,
but also about 'securing a place to live in the future'.
And,
I have an image of an ideal house.
That is—
“a house that can generate its own energy.”
Install solar power generation,
and have a home power generation system.
Make the car an EV.
By making it all-electric,
also keep gas costs down.
If you do that,
the monthly
・Electricity bills
・Gasoline costs
・Gas bills
could potentially be greatly reduced.
Of course,
it is not completely free.
But,
being able to reduce the 'fixed costs that must be paid every month'
is significant.
I believe that from here on out,
there is a high possibility that electricity and gasoline prices
will rise even further.
Especially now,
due to the rapid development of AI,
electricity demand is starting to surge all over the world.
Data centers.
Semiconductor factories.
EVs.
From now on,
I feel like it will become an era where
“those who control electricity are strong.”
In fact,
the government is also promoting renewable energy and EVs,
and there are subsidies available now.
In other words, now
might be a time to invest in 'future infrastructure'.
Furthermore,
a house that can generate its own power
is also resilient during disasters.
Even if there is a power outage,
the peace of mind of being able to secure a minimum amount of power is great.
Recently,
earthquakes and heavy rains are also increasing.
That is why I
feel that a 'house' is not just a place to live,
but is becoming something like a 'base for surviving the future'.
And recently,
there is one more thing I think about.
That is,
“Isn't land where people have lived for a long time strong?”
For example,
places where schools have existed for a long time.
Or,
places where people from the Jomon period lived.
Since long ago, people
have chosen land that avoids floods,
has water,
and is safe to live on.
The instincts of people from thousands of years ago
might, unexpectedly,
still apply to the modern day.
Of course,
there are dreams in a newly built house.
A space just for yourselves.
A new life.
Family memories.
I think that is a value
that cannot be measured by money alone.
That is why I
do not think at all that 'new construction is bad'.
However,
I think that in the coming era,
it is an era to think about houses
while considering not only 'asset value',
・Maintenance costs
・Disaster risk
・Population changes
・Energy issues
・Ease of living
・Future infrastructure
as well.
Building a house now—
might not just be about 'buying a house',
but about choosing 'what kind of future you assume you will live in from now on'.
I am currently participating in the Creative Awards 2026.
“All Categories Division”
“Essay Division”
Everyone, thank you for your support 🙇♂️