I am sorry about your conclusion, but you're ignoring all the knock-on effects. These houses are utilizing prime locations and locations anywhere near the city centers where the majority of jobs are. They're sitting there empty for large portions of the year depriving the local economy of patrons. They're owned by wealthy individuals who are driving up the housing costs in the entire area, which also benefits them as the value of their 'investment' increases and the ability for the average person to own a home diminishes. "Just build more houses".... where? at what cost? Are you going to tell people to stop trying to buy houses where the jobs are, where the modern services and utilities are?

"We" are not a rich country, unless by "we" you mean the 10% of the population that is rich. I feel well compensated, I'm well within the middle class and consider myself lucky. I cannot afford a home, in the current market, in a location with the services and locality of my industry. I live in Florida. Vrbo, Airbnb, and properties purchased by institutional investors have directly increased my housing costs. That is objective, not subjective. Call it anecdotal all you want, the populated parts of the state have seen their housing options obliterated.