A semi-detached house is illuminated with Christmas lights in Dublin, Ireland, December 21, 2021. Picture taken December 21, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne 

A semi-detached house is illuminated with Christmas lights in Dublin, Ireland, December 21, 2021. Picture taken December 21, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne 

A semi-detached house is illuminated with Christmas lights in Dublin, Ireland, December 21, 2021. Picture taken December 21, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne 

A semi-detached house is illuminated with Christmas lights in Dublin, Ireland, December 21, 2021. Picture taken December 21, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne 

A view of semi-detached homes in the Willesden neighbourhood of northwest London, August 15, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken August 15, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

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A view of semi-detached homes in the Willesden neighbourhood of northwest London, August 15, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken August 15, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in the Morningside neighbourhood of Edinburgh, Scotland, May 1, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 1, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A pothole is seen outside semi-detached homes in Brightlingsea, southeast England May 16, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 16, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A man walks a dog past semi-detached homes in Brightlingsea, southeast England May 16, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 16, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Tilbury, southeast England, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Wembley, northwest London, May 13, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 13, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Bexleyheath, southeast London, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Tilbury, southeast England, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Bexleyheath, southeast London, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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Pedestrians walk past semi-detached homes where each side has a different street address in Kilmarnock, Scotland March 25, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken March 25, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Tilbury, southeast England, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Neasden, northwest London, May 13, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 13, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Tilbury, southeast England, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Neasden, northwest London, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Tilbury, southeast England, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Tilbury, southeast England, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Colindale, north London, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Bexleyheath, southeast London, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Bexleyheath, southeast London, May 12, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken May 12, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A view of semi-detached homes in Kilmarnock, Scotland March 25, 2014. The Bank of England gave a clean bill of health to Britain's controversial flagship mortgage guarantee scheme on Thursday, sparing the government from potential embarrassment in the run-up to a national election. The central bank also formally asked to expand its arsenal of powers to curb mortgage lending for homes and buy-to-let properties, and said it was bringing forward the date when it would put a figure on the maximum leverage banks can have. Picture taken March 25, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: BUSINESS REAL ESTATE)

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A home with solar panels on its roof is shown in a residential neighborhood in San Marcos, California September 19,2013. Well over 60 percent of solar systems in states like California and Arizona today are owned by a third party and financed, allowing homeowners to go solar by paying a monthly fee for panels instead of shouldering the $20,000 to $30,000 up front cost of a system. Photo taken September 19, 2013. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT REAL ESTATE BUSINESS) 

Semi-detached houses are pictured in Dortmund March 10, 2013. A consortium led by German real estate firm Patrizia won the bidding for GBW in Germany's largest residential property deal and the group's second major purchase from a bailed-out public sector bank within two years. Patrizia said April 8, 2013, the deal values GBW, sold by state-backed lender BayernLB, at 2.45 billion euros ($3.26 billion) including debt. GBW owns 32,000 flats. Picture taken March 10. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender (GERMANY - Tags: BUSINESS) 

A car stands in front of semi-detached houses in Dortmund March 6, 2013. A consortium led by German real estate firm Patrizia won the bidding for GBW in Germany's largest residential property deal and the group's second major purchase from a bailed-out public sector bank within two years. Patrizia said April 8, 2013, the deal values GBW, sold by state-backed lender BayernLB, at 2.45 billion euros ($3.26 billion) including debt. GBW owns 32,000 flats. Picture taken March 6. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender (GERMANY - Tags: BUSINESS) 

Semi-detached houses are pictured in Dortmund March 10, 2013. A consortium led by German real estate firm Patrizia won the bidding for GBW in Germany's largest residential property deal and the group's second major purchase from a bailed-out public sector bank within two years. Patrizia said April 8, 2013, the deal values GBW, sold by state-backed lender BayernLB, at 2.45 billion euros ($3.26 billion) including debt. GBW owns 32,000 flats. Picture taken March 10. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender (GERMANY - Tags: BUSINESS) 

A row of Victorian homes known locally as the "Painted Ladies" glow in the early evening sun following a rain shower in San Francisco, California May 3, 2012. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT CITYSPACE) 

A view of luxurious houses at the gated-community city of Palm Hills, 20 km (13 miles) west of Cairo, Egypt June 26, 2008. A 2004-2008 property boom that provided homes for the wealthy elite helped Egypt weather a global downturn. But a glut of luxury developments being delivered through 2011 means developers need to switch to middle class properties to keep revenues coming, analysts say. Property firms acknowledge they need to change tack, but complain about a tiny mortgage market that makes it difficult for anyone but the wealthy to borrow and a legal row over state land sales that has made firms wary of new projects. Picture taken June 26, 2008. To match feature EGYPT-PROPERTY REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih/Files (EGYPT - Tags: BUSINESS) 

A foreclosed home is seen in Chicago January 28, 2008. No matter who wins the U.S. presidential election in November, their "to do" list will probably include urban renewal. For while the subprime crisis may force the U.S. economy into recession, it has already brought boarded-up homes and broken dreams to thousands of minority families inner cities. TO MATCH FEATURE USA-HOUSING/MINORITIES REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)