Chapter 159: The Affordable Apartment Plan

The three met at a lakeside villa. On the outskirts of Sabin City lies a large natural lake. Years ago, a real estate developer, attracted by the beautiful scenery and potential, bought a sunny plot by the lake and built a high-end villa community around it.

At first, the developer didn’t plan to sell off many properties. Over the years, the lakeside villas steadily appreciated due to the environment and neighbors.

Some villas were sold at reasonable prices as favors to celebrities, but most remained under his control, waiting for gradual price increases.

He also rented out vacant villas, promoting them as holiday homes for families to enjoy boating and nature. These short-term rentals attracted wealthy middle-class families seeking outdoor retreats.

The developer’s vision was sharp. During good seasons, weekends were crowded, and a lively economic atmosphere naturally formed around the community.

Food trucks gathered every Thursday, offering affordable meals and renting outdoor barbecue equipment to weekend visitors.

But now…

The walls still had torn paper scraps and adhesive residue. Faded flags hung faintly in some tree canopies.

An air of desolation filled the area. The streets were empty, and even the sold villas looked neglected and rundown from afar.

At the gatehouse, a security guard in his forties with graying hair was dozing, oblivious even to the sound of car engines.

This place was finished. The once-hyped villa community, touted as an investment to support three generations, was dead.

The driver honked a few times, startling the guard awake. He quickly glanced around, only recognizing his duty when he saw the car outside the gate.

The barrier lifted, the car entered slowly, and the guard soon succumbed back to heavy sleep.

“You’re earlier than I expected,” Lynch said as he knocked on the door of villa 006.

George immediately came out. He had tidied up to make the villa feel less lifeless and a bit warmer.

This was George’s villa. As the head of bank loan services, he maintained good relations with developers. Today, the person interested in Lynch’s land was the developer of this area, so they chose this venue.

They wanted to show Lynch their strength while also playing the sympathy card—no contradiction there.

Lynch smiled, shook George’s hand, and entered.

The house had a good layout, spacious and bright, with sunlight streaming through peeling windows, creating a magnificent glow.

Outside, sunshades blocked direct light, but the interior remained well-lit.

“Want something to drink?” George asked from behind the bar.

Lynch glanced around and said, “Coffee.”

He had business to discuss and felt alcohol was inappropriate now. George prepared a cup, explaining, “I don’t use a grinder, so it’s brewed from pre-ground coffee powder. Hope you don’t mind.”

Pre-ground coffee bags vary in quality, sometimes tasting less pure or slightly sour due to uneven roasting.

Lynch nodded casually—he wasn’t here to critique coffee.

After sitting, George introduced the buyer.

The developer had suffered significant losses but found a new project recently. It wasn’t fast-profit but stable, attracting interest.

Many funds in the federation now acted like headless flies, searching for reliable projects to survive the downturn.

Some only needed a business plan to attract quick investments.

This caused many scams, including some by Fox’s alumni—fraudsters claiming to double profits if invested in, a naïve yet effective trick.

Time passed quietly. After about ten minutes, a man around 38 to 40 years old entered laughing.

He was average build, broad-shouldered, with a heroic-looking face—a classic upright look.

Meticulous hair and a few tasteful accessories marked him as a refined person.

“Hart, pleased to meet you, Mr. Lynch!” Before George could introduce, Hart shook Lynch’s hand firmly.

“Lynch, likewise, Mr. Hart!” Lynch smiled warmly, matching the enthusiasm. Without knowing it was their first meeting, George might’ve thought they were old friends reunited.

They sat, and George fetched a glass of wine for Hart, as the homeowner should serve.

The two casually discussed Sabin City’s situation, inevitably touching on the poor economy.

Hart sighed, a mix of regret and reflection. “Mr. Lynch, you saw the place outside, right?”

Lynch had been watching him since he entered. Interestingly, Hart showed no surprise at Lynch’s youth, nor any condescension—something Lynch found noteworthy.

Lynch nodded, agreeing, “Indeed, it looks almost abandoned.”

Hart bitterly recounted his failed investment. It wasn’t his fault; no one expected this downturn—even major think tanks and conglomerates were caught off guard.

“I have a new plan now, and I’m very interested in your land. Honestly, I can’t pay all cash immediately…” As he spoke, George returned with wine.

Hart thanked him and took a sincere sip. “I plan to develop a new residential area after acquiring your land. The presidential cabinet just passed a new law this week encouraging developers to build affordable apartments, offering policy incentives and subsidies.”

This policy wasn’t a lie. With heavy economic pressure on citizens, many families were forced to sell homes to survive.

Losing homes would make them homeless, threatening their safety and society’s stability.

Hatred and desperation could lead some into crime.

Experts from the presidential cabinet, conservatives, progressives, and socialists concluded the downturn would last a long time. Before finding solutions, citizens’ rights must be guaranteed. Building affordable apartments for these families was a good start.

Research showed that when a family had even a temporary, private, and secure space, social stability improved greatly.

Developers building affordable apartments would be exempt from all land use fees, taxes, and receive extra tax breaks plus long-term government subsidies.

More importantly, the standards for these affordable apartments would be relaxed—for example, the required space per person—allowing an area originally meant for one apartment to be divided into one and a half or even two units.

The government would cover part of each tenant’s rent and expenses. Fitting more families into less space would secure greater subsidies, making it a very profitable deal.

Given the current situation, this business is feasible. There’s no risk of loss; the profit grows slowly, but in this economic climate, as long as it’s profitable, speed doesn’t matter.

Lynch nodded occasionally. It was indeed a good business. With local government cooperation, some people, including the homeless on the streets, could move into these affordable apartments.

Hart wouldn’t need to sell his existing properties—just rent them out. When the economy recovers and land prices rise, he could sell the apartments. After living there for at least four or five years, residents would likely want to buy them.

It was a promising project, but Hart lacked the funds and planned to negotiate the deal using other means.