>In American history new housing construction has almost always been "high-end". Anecdotally this is the case right now here in central Indiana. Fiance and I a

>In American history new housing construction has almost always been "high-end". Anecdotally this is the case right now here in central Indiana. Fiance and I are starting to look for a house, we can get something 20-50 years old for 150-180k or the new construction physically across the street with the same square footage (and much smaller yards) is starting around 200k headed well past 300k (because, apparently, fancy counter tops and stainless appliances are worth an extra 100k eyeroll). There's a half dozen new additions going in where we're looking and the cost for a tiny 1 bedroom house will get you 2-3 bedroom house with 0.25-0.5 acres within a 1/2 mile drive door to door purely because of all of the 'features' which are almost entirely cosmetic.