In reference to this:
You make an interesting point. I will say that in the Bay area, I know several folks who have purchased homes without generational money AND having started their careers after 2008. What they all had were very well paying jobs and/or decent payday from RSU/ISOs/ESPP. Its very clear that in HCOL areas, having jobs (tech, MD, or finance) that pay well is one of the key ways to get into RE in this area so besides graduating debt free, encouraging your kids to get into well compensated careers can be almost as valuable as generational wealth.
A friend I had lunch with today wonders how much of this will be a self-correcting problem:
- If the population continues to shrink AND as jobs get more portable (so there's less need to live in HCOL areas like the Bay Area CA), he believes that real estate pricing in HCOL areas like here might actually fall and not stay as out of whack with rental costs.
- I questioned this thought because a) even if more homeowners die,
someone will inherit the property and that doesn't necessarily mean it will increase the supply of purchasable homes (vs those made available for rent) and b) cities will continue to attract young people who are willing to trade space for more social/nightlife/etc.
I think your own experience in GA of housing becoming less affordable country wide is a good testament that sure, while you can move to cheaper places, it doesn't necessarily mean housing will be more affordable.
Finally, not every country has home ownership as a goal: in quite a few countries the home ownership rates are already below 50% (ex: Germany and Switzerland).
en.wikipedia.org