Yeah, it's a problem. By treating housing as an investment, any profit motivated entity becomes interested. Companies start buying and holding them like stocks

Yeah, it's a problem. By treating housing as an investment, any profit motivated entity becomes interested. Companies start buying and holding them like stocks or gold because it is an asset that reliably appreciates in value faster than inflation. Meanwhile, average homeowners are practically required to consider their house as an investment as well. In an increasingly precarious society, owning a home is one of a few things that a middle class person can do that guarantees some financial stability. Homeowners are incentivized to support policies that drive up their home's value so that they can sell it later (and maybe have enough money for retirement). Some of these policies include supporting single family zoning (of which there is a shocking amount) and opposing affordable housing projects in their neighborhood. When housing costs rise faster than wage growth, the barrier to breaking into home ownership becomes increasingly difficult. A class system of renters, home owners, and landlords is forming and becoming rigid. Housing is not supposed to be a financial investment strategy.