A new regulation of the housing market has been approved in the Parliament of Catalonia with the aim of making renting more accessible. The entire regulation exudes the belief that the market belongs to someone who controls it. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real estate market and the rental housing market are among the most competitive markets in existence, meaning that the prices agreed upon in transactions are not the result of any position of power on one side, but rather an equilibrium derived from supply and demand. Yes, the dreaded supply and demand, so hated by many, but the most equitable mechanism in competitive markets. So much so that all legislation guaranteeing competition in markets is always seen as consumer protection. Every real estate transaction is based on agreements that are not protected by any monopoly. If someone doesn't want to accept a price, they can go elsewhere to find a lower price. If there is a conflict over a specific location, it means that the dispute is not about a property itself, but about a location. In other words, the parties involved aspire to the small monopoly power that that property represents. Everyone: buyers and sellers. In the real estate market—buying or renting—everyone speculates, since everyone expects a profit. Buyers and renters alike expect a profit. When rent regulation is demanded, it means that many expect a profit, which will come at the expense of another person or company. This is called redistribution, not a market. Let's set aside the term speculateEveryone's a speculator, starting with those who want to influence housing prices through political pressure or regulatory changes. This is textbook speculation: changing the rules to change the price.