This book is the conclusion of a body of research that started with a workshop held at the University of York in October 2000, and which resulted in the book Globalisation and home ownership. Experiences in eight member states of the European Union (Doling & Ford, 2003). The collated information lifted thinking beyond politics, linking developments on home ownership with developments in the financial and labour markets in the context of globalization. It led to the insight that to understand developments in different countries it is indispensable to work with an international research team that has awareness of historical roots and cultural idiosyncrasies.