[N3WBI3]

Two words: Gas, Homes...

[Eagles Talon IV]

The increased price of homes, first of all is regional and confined to the northeast, west coast and Fla. More Americans own homes today then at any time in history and the reason is simple, interest rates are at a historical low and when buying a house the monthly payment determines if it is plausible or not. In 1968 I bought my first house and the rate was 6%. Almost 40 years later the rate is actually lower. I believe if you use an inflation calculator you will find that wages have gone up since then by approx a factor of 8 and RE prices, excepting in the aforementioned areas of the country have increased somewhat less to about the same. Meanwhile many other things have dramatically declined in price, as I have mentioned. Gasoline, inflation adjusted from 1960 would sell at $1.96 ($2.40 in the area I used to live and where I pulled the original price for 1960 of .30 per gallon.) which is pretty close to where it is today with the exception of a few extreme places such as Cal, Boston, NYC and the usual places you would expect to be gouged.

[atlanta67]

""Two words: Gas, Homes...""

so which is it, are the majority hurt or helpe by rising real estate values..you seem to imply they are hurt