In the early 2000s I was making $55k and bought my first home for $130k. It was possible, although harder now as money is too easy to get.

You have three problems... over consolidation of industry, over consolidation of capital and inflationary pressure via easy credit.

Bay Area real estate is a shitshow in many perspectives. The root problem is that the money people are all there, and would rather not travel. It’s dumb for all stakeholders, corporate, capital and working that such an important and large component of the US economy is dependent on the Bay Area. It’s doubly stupid as the whole region could be leveled by an earthquake at any time.

I’ve worked on projects where significant numbers of people contributing to the project have been on other continent. It defies all reason that we don’t have the ability to finance business in Omaha, Buffalo, or Nashville.