Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Houses Are 73% More Expensive Today Than In 1973—Plots Are Smaller Too
National Economics Editorial ^ | May 28 | Spencer P Morrison

Posted on 05/30/2017 10:04:24 AM PDT by Thalean

In 1973 the median household income was $9,265...

Consider that the median sales price of a new home in January, 1973, was only $29,900—3.2 times the median household income. In other words, if the median family saved up every penny earned, and put it towards a new home, it would take just over three years to buy a brand new house.

This held relatively steady for the next decade. In 1985, new home prices crept up a little, to 3.7 times the median household income.

It was during the 1990s and 2000s that home prices began to skyrocket towards where they are today.

In January 2017 the median sales price for a new home was $317,400, which is 5.6 times the median household income of $56,516.

All told, houses are 73% more expensive today, in real terms, than they were in 1973...

The US Census started tracking the median lot size (in square feet) for new home construction in 1976. During that year, the average lot was 10,125 square feet. In 2015, it’s only 8,600—the smallest on record.

So not only are houses getting more expensive, but we’re getting less land as well.

In the interest of fairness, I’ll also point out that the median new home is larger, in terms of square footage, than older homes as well—so it’s not a total loss.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaleconomicseditorial.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: america; americaindecline; americandream; economy; usa
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 141-156 next last
To: Seruzawa

Yup and most of the Southeast except southern Florida as well.


81 posted on 05/30/2017 12:40:12 PM PDT by rb22982
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

[[They are about as close together as two teens at a movie................]]

So about 3 feet apart then?


82 posted on 05/30/2017 12:43:55 PM PDT by Bob434
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Steely Tom

i just bought a car battery today for $135 i was mentioning to my GF the last time i bought on it was around 60 bucks.


83 posted on 05/30/2017 12:44:29 PM PDT by mowowie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: montag813

[[Um...population has increased.]]

And yet even still everyone in the world could fit into the state of texas with room to spare


84 posted on 05/30/2017 12:45:27 PM PDT by Bob434
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Bob434

Luckily, the master bedroom window is on the same side as their neighbor’s garage..................


85 posted on 05/30/2017 12:50:35 PM PDT by Red Badger (You can't assimilate one whose entire reason for being here is to not assimilate in the first place.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: Don W

Across the street local policeman bought an old house and renovated it, removed the garage out back and built a colonial on a tiny lot in it’s place. sold the new colonial for $750 GRAND and the old house for $550.
I wish i had the capitol, credit and connections to pull of that kind of deal.


86 posted on 05/30/2017 12:53:40 PM PDT by mowowie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: mowowie
Many of those with the nice homes in this region are government employees/or are working for companies with government contracts. You'll note that's where most of the new cars are parked as well.☺ It's what well paying, secure, bullet proof jobs with generous benefits can get. Ya see this over and over.
87 posted on 05/30/2017 1:02:20 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: mowowie
i just bought a car battery today for $135 i was mentioning to my GF the last time i bought on it was around 60 bucks.

But you'll note American wages did not nearly doubled in that time.☺ Btw, a real good car battery that will last, now cost about 175 bucks, and UP..

88 posted on 05/30/2017 1:05:25 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: rb22982

How come you guys in the rental/RE biz always crop the hell out of your pics?


89 posted on 05/30/2017 1:10:10 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

☺☺☺
90 posted on 05/30/2017 1:10:43 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: dragnet2

Those aren’t cropped pics lol taken on my iphone


91 posted on 05/30/2017 1:13:05 PM PDT by rb22982
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: rb22982

No, no, if you’re in the biz you know exactly what I’m talking about.

They always crop the hell out of their rental/RE pics because if they showed ya too much or the rest, few would bother going to look at it. They’ve turned RE pics it into an art.

Btw, in your “Townhome #1 shot, is everything I’m seeing in the pic 1 residence?


92 posted on 05/30/2017 1:19:54 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: dragnet2

More angles than cropping. And the answer is yes, the pics are all one residence.


93 posted on 05/30/2017 1:24:22 PM PDT by rb22982
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: rb22982

Where’d ya go?


94 posted on 05/30/2017 1:24:45 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: rb22982

Why does #1 have two front doors?


95 posted on 05/30/2017 1:26:17 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: rb22982

Why does #1 have two front doors?


96 posted on 05/30/2017 1:29:59 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: rb22982

People demand so much more in a house these days. We all grew up in 1700 square foot houses with 3 bedrooms, one bath and a one car garage. Now, as you pointed out, the average house is 2500 sq ft with 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and a huge kitchen.

Watch any show on HGTV. Young buyers WANT more expensive products in their house. They want new SS appliances, granite countertops, double sinks in the bathroom, walk in closets, hardwood floors, must have a master bathroom, etc.

Most of these kids can not even cook, but they need to have a $25K kitchen to bake a frozen pizza. Luckily, I did not marry one of those.


97 posted on 05/30/2017 1:30:59 PM PDT by woodbutcher1963
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Thalean

Another economist pointed out that the 70s were the final golden years for the average American. We saw a massive rise in standards of living from 1925 to 1975. After that we see a slide in standard of living. Not just houses. Look back at, for simple examples, the price of apples and bread. Even look at automobiles. Sure, we can play Angry Birds with a device in our back pocket, but we can’t afford to have one person staying at home while the other works.


98 posted on 05/30/2017 1:34:25 PM PDT by Sam Gamgee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dragnet2

Blame Nixon and selling out to China. Blame also easy money monetary policy from the Fed.


99 posted on 05/30/2017 1:35:33 PM PDT by Sam Gamgee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: a fool in paradise

Ask your real estate agent to find a 5 or 6 bedroom home and he will laugh. They are building these micro homes now that have a yard the size of a cubicle. If I wanted that sort of living I would move to the big city.


100 posted on 05/30/2017 1:37:51 PM PDT by Sam Gamgee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 141-156 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson