Why Nobody Can Afford Their First House Anymore

In 1990 the typical home cost about three years of income. Today it's closer to five, and the typical first time buyer is 40 years old. Here's what happened to the starter home, why the payment math got so much worse even with lower rates, why nobody is selling, and what actually helps if you're trying to buy. Not financial advice. 0:00 Priced out 0:45 The 1990 house 1:41 The payment math 2:45 Not enough houses 3:50 Nobody is selling 4:46 What it does to buyers 5:43 What actually helps 6:50 The one sentence version How old were your parents when they bought their first house? Tell me in the comments. Sources Realtor.com generational wealth analysis, 2026 (1990 vs today prices, incomes, down payments) NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies Congressional Research Service, Estimates of a Housing Shortage Realtor.com outstanding mortgage data, Q2 2026 CNBC, CNN, CBS News, NBC News and HISTORY coverage Music: Let It Ride - Anno Domini Beats, Radar - The Grey Room / Density & Time, A Stroll - The Grey Room / Density & Time, Stats - The Grey Room / Density & Time (YouTube Audio Library) Footage used for commentary and education (fair use), with thanks to: CBS News, "Surge in lumber prices puts dream of home ownership out of reach for many Americans"    • Surge in lumber prices puts dream of home ...   CNBC, "Why Americans Can’t Find Starter Homes"    • Why Americans Can’t Find Starter Homes   CNN, "Why more Americans will never buy a home"    • Why more Americans will never buy a home   HISTORY, "Here's What Caused the Great Recession"    • Here's What Caused the Great Recession | H...   NBC News, "Parents buying homes for their children as affordability plummets"    • Parents buying homes for their children as...