These days, a number of people pursue home ownership instead of just renting one. This, they consider, as very important. In this essay, I intend to look at the reason for this trend and highlight its overwhelming negative consequences.

To begin with, the ownership of homes is a rising trend in many countries. This I think is due to the huge cost attached to just renting one on the long run, with its attendant strain on the family pocket. For example, in Lagos, Nigeria, the prices of rooms has skyrocketed in recent times, with this gulping up to half of the income of the family on a monthly basis, especially for the low and middle-income earners. This has in-turn exerted much pressure on the family budget, with just a little amount of money left to pay for feeding, education and other essential expenditures. As a result, the standard of living is seeing a significant drop. People therefore count is extremely important to own their own houses so as to be free from this uncomfortable burden. However, as much as this appears to be a valid concern, the negative consequences of this drive is more serious. Firstly, this development has only helped to worsen overcrowding, especially in the urban areas, with its attendant effect on the health of the citizens. Communicable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and so on can only be empowered by this trend. In addition to the above, the rate of deforestation has also worsened, aggravating global warming. As trees are being indiscriminately felled to make room for vacant lands for houses, fewer trees are left to absorb CO2 and produce O2 and this worsens the danger of global warming. In conclusion, the negative consequences attached to the uncontrolled quest for home ownership makes a good case for it to be curtailed. Government at all levels therefore need to step in and ensure that this trend is well regulated.