Hot take.
FETs and other foreign public school teachers get a rental stipend added on to their paychecks in addition to their wages. At the moment it’s $5k per month if you’re single, $10k per month if you live with family. However, to be paid this stipend you need to have proof that you are renting from someone who isn’t your or your spouse’s relative.
This means that if you choose to buy a home, you immediately get a pay cut of $5k NTD per month minimum. Considering that minimum wage in Taiwan is $28,590, that’s as if a minimum wage worker got a 15-30% paycut for choosing to try to build some financial independence, rather than continuing to help some old landlord pay their mortgage.
This situation is unique to foreign teachers. No other industry would penalize their employees for trying to set down roots.
(And yes, my landlord did just tell me he’s raising our rent, how did you know…)