Median American family spends 25% of income on just the mortgage. That's already the maximum. Zero room left.

Median family income: $106,800/year Median home price: $429,300 Mortgage payment at 6.55%: $2,282/month That $2,282 = exactly 25% of gross income. Before property taxes. Before insurance. Before utilities. Before food. Before anything else. The standard rule: mortgage should be max 28% including taxes and insurance. We're already there with just the payment. Here's what this means: If you're thinking about buying, you're probably priced out unless you have serious advantages. If you already own from 2020, you got lucky with that 3% rate. If you're renting, the math now shows it's cheaper than buying in many cities for the first time in decades. The federal reserve is signaling rate hikes, not cuts. Expect 6-6.5% rates for the next 3+ years minimum. Home prices aren't falling. Wages aren't rising. Inflation is eating savings. This isn't a personal finance failure. This is a math failure at the system level. The American dream of homeownership just became mathematically impossible for millions. That should terrify you whether you're buying or not.