[MargaretR]

I was an owner/occupier from age 18 until age 60.

During that time I moved house 10 times, and lived in a wide range of properties ranging from a 200yr old cottage, several terraced and a brand new bungalow.

Looking back, I consider that I wasted a lot of time money and effort on home improvements.

The value of a property is determined mainly by whether it is in a desirable location, and that cannot be under your control.

Several outside factors can damage its value-
the moving in nearby of undesirable neighbours
the re-routing of public highways nearby
the industrial development of nearby previously open land.

Owning property gives you some peace of mind and security - out of the reach of unscrupulous landlords - but during my lifetime those landlords have been subjected to ever tighter regulation on their practices.
The days of the notorious Rachman are long gone.

If you think of the basic reason why you want a roof over your head, and what you expect that roof to provide, you will probably come up with a list that depends on what you personally consider important at that particular stage in your life -
eg - near good schools, accessible to public transport, near shops, nearby open spaces, etc etc etc.

I recent years people have tended to look at what their home was worth, instead of whether it met their needs - I contend that it is worth nothing as a place to live if it doesn't meet your needs, and can be as bad as a ball and chain on your ankle.

All those people who now delight in owning a house valued at over £100,000, will not gain that by selling it because they will have to pay it out again for the next one.

Being a tenant is not being a 2nd class citizen and has many advantages -
greater mobility to move to an area which meets your needs
no legal fees and agents fees when you do move
you can expect a decent standard of repair before you move in.

This national obsession with home ownership serves no useful purpose.