re: DJT - “I don’t want to drive housing prices down. I want to drive housing prices up.”

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Go check out the housing costs as a percentage of income for Americans in the 80s vs today.

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Go check out what the average house looked like in the 80's vs. today. Young people today WILL NOT live in these houses. They don't want starter homes that actually look like starter homes. They want the homes their parents moved up to over decades. Even college students turn their noses up at the crappy apartments we lived in.

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I’m in my early 30s. I went to college and law school (and so did my wife) and neither of us have any student debt. We lived on sub poverty threshold income in northern Virginia (one of the most expensive areas in the U.S.) and didn’t take out any debt.

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I really don't mean to be rude here, but you can't afford where you have chosen to live. There are tons of places in the U.S. where two lawyers can afford to buy a house. I couldn't afford my own home if it were in Los Angeles, for example. Your housing situation is a result of choosing a very popular location. Huge demand, low supply.

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Go check out what the average house looked like in the 80's vs. today. Young people today WILL NOT live in these houses. They don't want starter homes that actually look like starter homes. They want the homes their parents moved up to over decades. Even college students turn their noses up at the crappy apartments we lived in.

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My entire neighborhood is sub-45 years old in 1960s ranches, with varying degrees of upgrades. I completely disagree with notion that young people just want massive housing

All we built pre-08 was McMansions. Post-08 we didn’t build enough, which is why we are where we are

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Go check out the housing costs as a percentage of income for Americans in the 80s vs today. Go check out the median home value vs the annual income in the 80s vs today.

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Don't forget to compare amenities and aesthetic differences between 80s homes and homes now.

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I’ll use myself as an example. I’m in my early 30s. I went to college and law school (and so did my wife) and neither of us have any student debt. We lived on sub poverty threshold income in northern Virginia (one of the most expensive areas in the U.S.) and didn’t take out any debt.

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An area with thousands of HOAs with their own requirements of size, shape, and required amenities that considerably drive up the price. HOAs filled with self centered Karen's that requires ridiculous accessories and requirements on homes while crying about cost at the same time.

You can live on poverty wages comparable to the surrounding area or move somewhere that is more cost effective. It makes zero sense to live in an area that would require you to make three times what you do to live comfortably to make twice what you would somewhere else with much cheaper living costs.

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All that to say, I’ve done everything right, and in terms of finally owning my own home, I’m still way behind where my parents were at the same age.

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Did your parents live in an area that required them to construct a home on a lot that itself can cost a hundred thousand dollars or more? That requires articulate and expensive to maintain landscaping? With HOA fees that rival some utility bills?

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Ah yes, the “go buy a starter home” argument. Starter homes don’t exist in areas that are actually safe.

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That's why you choose a houseplan and build somewhere that is.

My income to COL ratio in Virginia is not any different than it would be if I was a lawyer in Mississippi.

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Post income

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My income? Ok, but no matter what many won't believe me. My current monthly gross salary is 13211.02. Twice a year we get bonuses (June and December). Last few years they've been around 7K total. Annual total is a little over 165K. My 401K balance is a little over 1.6 Million. I own a home and 109 acres. All totaled my house, land and equipment is worth around 1.3 million. My first home (in my first marriage) was a single wide when I was in the military (enlisted)

Made a little over 35K in 2025 selling calves. My wife is a teacher and makes 65K for 9 months work.

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graduate high school, march right into the office of the manager of some business, give him a firm handshake and tell him you want a job.

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Not sure that will work, but if they stop being whiny bitches that would help.

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Use that job to buy a house in a middle class neighborhood and put all your extra money in a CD at 15%

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That's not how it worked in the late 70's and early 80's when you could get that kind of return. Mortgage rates were 16%.

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this new generation is just stupid and lazy!

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Many are stupid, MOST are lazy, ALL seem to think they are entitled to much more than they have earned.

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That's how the real world works. Prices go up (inflate) as the years go by. EVERYTHING gets more expensive. It is up to the individual to increase their value so that their pay goes up as well. If the individual refuses to do that frickem.

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prices jumped 60% in 5 years and now the president says he wants to keep that going.

Like I said, just admit you’re fine with pulling up the ladder behind you

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Go check out what the average house looked like in the 80's vs. today. Young people today WILL NOT live in these houses. They don't want starter homes that actually look like starter homes. They want the homes their parents moved up to over decades. Even college students turn their noses up at the crappy apartments we lived in.

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This is sometimes true depending on the person, but usually any house that looks like it's from the 80's also means that the expensive stuff you can't see probably hasn't been updated either. My wife and I live in a partially updated 1200sqft 2 bed 1 bath starter home that was built in the 40s. We love the house, but are also about to spend thousands on a sewage job because we found out that tree roots have broken our main line made out of terracotta. That doesn't include the stuff we've already fixed ourselves or still need to fix like the deteriorated ductwork, old electrical wiring, insulation, etc.

I don't think it's unreasonable that young people looking to start families soon want access to reasonably-priced starter homes built/renovated for the standards of the last 20 years or so in hopes that they don't have to spend money that they don't have early in their careers fixing/updating lots of things... and I also think that applies to every generation before this one as well, including yours.

He wants home values to remain stable and grow because homes represent wealth to the middle. He’s also working on housing affordability which is tied to interest rates. He also wants reasonable interest rates on savings. To accomplish this, Bessent is revitalizing Fannie and Freddie to target low interest rates for first time home buyers so they can begin building wealth by owning a home. I think he mentioned the Treasury buying $200 billion of mortgage loans to provide low rates and affordability to first time buyers. This plan works for everyone.