I left at 18 so are mine.
I do agree that housing costs are BS and a unduly harsh wake-up call for young people. The price of houses in places like Denver, North Dallas, and Austin are a crock and I will LMAO when they implode in the near future.
Still, how many 18 year olds buy a house? It's called an apartment...it's called a roommate...it's called doing what it takes to make it happen, i.e. working your hind end off so that you can afford a house.
And if you can't make it in Denver, North Dallas, or Austin, you MOVE to a place where you can make it.
Yep, the real estate "investors" have made the good life at the expense of our kids. And, they can take that to the bank. Their properties aren't worth more, the dollar is worthless (not a typo).
Particularly for kids who grew up in affluent neighborhoods. Their parents started with less in many cases and became affluent ... the children expect to start off at the level their parents achieved. It's the entitlement thing ...
Not nearly so much so as those in LA, San Diego and most of the rest of the left coast. My daughter and her husband were able to afford a decent 3 BR, 2 living areas, 2 car, in spite of heavy grad student loan payments. They even were able to afford a granddaughter for us. :)
Younger daughter was (barely) able to afford rent, which is more expensive on a monthly payments basis, on a similar, although older home. Both in North Austin, and that was on a teacher's and IT tech's salary. Now she's going back to grad school for her PhD and they will scale down to a 2 BR duplex. (Of course the younger one has no grad school debt, neither had undergrad debt, because my wife is a proffessor at the college they attended)