I was talking to my mother about this for over an hour this week.
I blame the internet. People in our parents' and grandparents day didn't have the luxury of being able to compare pricing with so many options to rent or buy. They went to affordable colleges and were more encouraged to succeed by their society. They were given a living wage with a reasonable amount to hire a contractor to build the houses they wanted.
Now you have the proven outsourcing of a huge portion of the jobs cut out from under our feet and unreasonably high prices on everything, where you have to bid and compete on overpriced homes.
There aren't any blanket statements but overall society has shifted into a greedier version of itself.
Inflation-adjusted value: A $100,000 home in 1967 is equivalent to about
$1,121,747 in 2025 due to inflation, suggesting a substantial increase in real value.
- The nominal average wage has increased dramatically, but the purchasing power has not kept pace with inflation, so a higher wage does not necessarily mean a higher standard of living.
That means that overall, all of the numbers increased, but it only meant something good for the already wealthy.
James chapter 5. I just need to not grumble against and not judge my friends & family.