> But the bigger issue may be the triple whammy of low wages, student debt and rapidly escalating rents. Student debt is a luxury. There are plenty of afforda

> But the bigger issue may be the triple whammy of low wages, student debt and rapidly escalating rents. Student debt is a luxury. There are plenty of affordable colleges and universities. Many just choose to go to expensive options and they are able to do so due to subsidized student loan rates (also a luxury) and support from relatively wealthy parents. In regards to mortgages being unattainable due to housing appreciation, I think that is only half the story. The other half is that mortgage rates are at near historic lows. Yes, homes were cheaper in the 50s-90s but mortgage rates were ~6-18% at that time. This makes a huge difference in home affordability. For instance, a 30 year 100k mortgage at 8% and 4% interest have mortgage payments of $733 vs $477, respectively. [0] http://blog.lucidrealty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/mortgage-vs-10-year-rates1.jpg http://blog.lucidrealty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/mortg...