[quote=davelj][quote=Scarlett]Back in the 1950 and 1960, the median home price was roughly just below TWO times the median household income – which was then predominantly ONE income.
Nowadays, the median home price is roughly THREE times the median household income – which is at least 1.5 full-time incomes, if not close to TWO incomes. In San Diego that ratio is probably even larger.
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As has been pointed out here before, this is largely a matter of choice. The size of the average house in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1960. So, people CHOOSE to spend more today on housing than they used to – wisely or not, mind you. I’m quite certain that if you cut your housing (size) expectations in half (to live like those folks in the ’50s and ’60s)… the ratios will follow accordingly. But I’m betting you have no interest in doing so… what with the Jones’ big house and all…[/quote]
Dave,
You’ve often made these snarky comments, assuming that you know what people think they “deserve” out of life. You’ve made this comment to me as well, though you have no idea what we are looking for, nor do you know what our resources are. Sorry, buy you’re out of line on this.
In our case, we are looking for homes in older neighborhoods, homes that are comparable in size and quality to what we grew up in. We don’t drive fancy cars (drive our cars into the ground, and buy the next one for cash), and don’t wear fancy clothing, go on exotic vacations, etc. We are extremely simple people looking for a house near work, for all the reasons Scarlett mentioned above.
People in my husband’s profession — with the same employer, doing the same job (actually fewer requirements back then) — were able to buy “normal” homes near work on a single income a couple of decades ago. Now, people who work there are not able to buy those *same* homes on two incomes. When you add in the increased costs in healthcare, childcare, education, etc., people are much worse off today than they were decades ago.
There is no need for you to always try to turn debates into a volley of personal insults. Can’t you just debate the topic without being snarky and arrogant? I know you’re smart enough to do it, so why fall into the habits of those who can’t hold their own in a debate?
