EP245: A No-BS Guide to Making Homeownership a Reality

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Heyyy hey hey…

Does it ever seem totally unfair that owning homes used to be NORMAL, and now it’s basically a pipe dream? 

Thanks for that, housing crisis! 🙄

But really, how did we get here, and is there a way to make homeownership accessible again?!

We’ve got your answers here…

Listen, we’re not saying that everyone has to own their home or aspire to it. 

Butttt we can all agree that housing costs are insane, and something needs to change, right?

Okay, in this case, a few things need to change…

Starting with the massive supply and demand imbalance! 

Call us dreamers, but we just envision a better future for America – one where homeownership is actually accessible to those who want it! ✨

For that future to become a reality, though, we can’t just sit and wait for interest rates to lower. 

Nope, we’re going to have to take our futures into our own hands. 

Who’s with us?? 🖐️

Let’s get into what’s actually going on with the housing market, and what steps can be taken to change things moving forward!

Here’s to making homeownership normal again. 🥂

‘It’s a freaking nightmare right now’: Housing affordability crisis decades in the making explodes during election year…

Feeling like owning a home is more of a fantasy than a reality in today’s market? 

Ever wonder why housing costs are skyrocketing despite your dreams of homeownership? 

Curious about what’s really driving the housing crisis and how you can navigate it to own a home?

Today’s America 🇺🇲 makes the dream of homeownership seem like just a far off fantasy. 

And it’s true – the mismatch of booming demand met with low supply is making it very difficult for people who aspire to the goal of homeownership.

We get that the idea of finding an affordable home you love may feel about as likely as winning the lottery, right now, but don’t lose hope! 

We’re here to take you on a deep dive into the heart of the housing crisis issue – why housing costs are so high, what type of challenges younger generations are facing, and how to make homeownership more accessible, even in today’s volatile economy.  So, let’s dive in! 

Now, before we get to the solution of any problem, we first have to identify what’s actually going on.

Because of course, we all know that housing costs continue to rise, and mortgage rates are through the literal roof of the house that no one can even afford to buy.

But the question is why? How did we get to this point in the first place? 

Well, to illustrate the main housing crisis issue, imagine a giant, ancient tree.

It keeps growing upwards, right? Sprouting new branches that eventually sprout their own branches, and so on. The problem is that as this particular tree grows taller and wider, its roots aren’t keeping up with the rate of growth. 

Do you see where we’re going with this yet? The upward growth of the tree is representative of America’s growing population, and the roots that aren’t growing nearly as fast represent the housing supply. 

As you can imagine, there are plenty of reasons why America’s housing supply isn’t keeping pace with demand. 

We definitely saw some major setbacks with the pandemic in 2020, since new developments were put on hold due to labor shortages and disruptions to building materials supply. But honestly, the beginnings of the housing crisis started long before that. 

The biggest setback for America’s housing supply happened in 2007 with the Great Recession, and real estate has not been the same ever since.

It’s like we’ve just been playing catch up this whole time, trying to meet the need of about 3 million new homes annually, and usually only making it about halfway there. 

It’s really no wonder we’ve reached the level of supply and demand imbalance that we have.

It’s been happening slowly over the course of almost two decades! 

While new home developments still face regulatory hurdles that slow them down, there’s also a golden handcuff effect that’s happening to long-time homeowners today. 

People who bought properties many years ago may have a low, locked in mortgage rate, giving them very little incentive to sell anytime soon. 

The result is that far fewer homes are being put on the market now than in previous years.

So, you could say that the soil around our giant tree’s roots is very rocky, and not super conducive to healthy growth. But the branches? Those things are growing like crazy! We’re talking about a U.S. population growth of about 1.8 million people annually – which is equivalent to dropping a Phoenix-size city to the map every year.

Until supply can catch up with that ever-growing demand for homes, we’ll continue to face these struggles. 

Does hearing this make you think that homeownership is, in fact, the impossible pipe dream it now seems to be? 

If so, don’t fret.  😵😵

We’ve got much more to share. You see, giving up now and walking away from the goal of homeownership would be like stopping a movie right at the height of the conflict.

If you turn it off there, you’re stuck in the struggle and never get to see the happy ending!

Don’t walk away yet… There’s more to this story. 

Homeownership can still be a viable goal for younger generations, who can take on the current obstacles with the right knowledge and strategic actions.

For members of the millennial and Gen Z generations, learning how to navigate the housing shortage is yet another obstacle to work around – after facing complicated economic uncertainties, and changing job landscapes already. 

These generations are primed and ready to take on the challenges of becoming homeowners, while also creating lasting changes in the economic landscape moving forward. 

The unique challenges of navigating the real estate housing market require some shifts in strategies and an openness to innovative solutions, like increasing housing density and advocating for financial incentives that make building affordable housing possible. 

The homeownership dream might not be as simple as it was way back when – save money, find a house, buy the house, live happily ever after – but learning how to adapt and navigate the real estate landscape can ensure that a homeownership happy ending is not entirely out of reach. 

Now, let’s zoom out for a second, so we can really get the full picture of what needs to happen to make homeownership a more accessible reality. 

Having a desire to own your own home is a great first step, because of course you need to have motivation for accomplishing what we’re about to discuss. But desire on its own? It’s not enough to create any sort of worthwhile changes. 

Someone with a strong desire to lose weight won’t see any actual progress until they start to adjust their entire lifestyles.

If they want to make lasting physical changes, they need to focus on their overall health – adjusting things like mindset, diet, exercise routines, and other daily habits before they can expect to make progress towards their goal. 

This is also true when it comes to pursuing homeownership in the midst of the housing crisis. You may already have the desire to buy a home, but making your dream a reality means focusing on your entire financial health, so to speak. 

Understanding how to manage your personal finances and strategically plan for your future is how you’ll ultimately overcome the turbulence of the economy. 

As a whole, financial literacy is something that is unfortunately lacking from America’s education system, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. 

People who are able to take their financial literacy into their own hands have a much better chance at adapting to the curveballs of life, and reaching financial goals no matter what’s in their path.

We’re talking about self- education here, but not just on the topic of personal finances.

You see, addressing the housing crisis and making homeownership more accessible requires a multifaceted approach. 

Being able to personally budget, save, and plan for the future is one part of the solution, but aspiring homeowners should also arm themselves with knowledge of things like mortgage financing nuances and the impact of housing trends on housing affordability. 

The truth is that there’s no easy road to wealth and success, but empowering yourself to make informed, knowledge-based financial decisions will set you up for a brighter future. 💡

And the more people who start taking their own financial futures into their hands, the better! 

Slowly, we can start to turn the tide of the economy, through financial and real estate education, strategic planning, and the desire to make homeownership a much more accessible reality for all. 

We can make effective changes for ourselves, our families, and even future generations. So let’s get to work, shall we? 

We have the power and potential to overcome the housing crisis, and it all starts today, with focused mindful steps towards a very worthwhile goal. 

Check out this 🎥 video:  Get Rich With Million-Dollar Lessons We Wish We Knew Earlier!

According to RealPage Market Analytics, during the year ending with the first quarter, the Western U.S. had demand for around 69,000 apartment units, which is less than half the demand seen in the Southern U.S. during the same period.