🏡 THE #1 THING EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT IN REAL ESTATE RIGHT NOW?
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
And listen… I get it. Housing is expensive. REALLY expensive!
But before we completely declare the American Dream dead and start blaming
everything from interest rates to millennials to President Trump, let’s take a
little trip back in time….
My grandfather built his family’s home in 1967 for $30,000. It was 1,826 sq. feet,
3 bed, 2 bath, 3 stories, on an oversized premium lot.
Now, I know what you’re thinking…
$30,000?! That’s barely even a down payment today!
And you’re right.
But here’s what’s interesting..
At the time, a home over 1,500 square feet was considered pretty luxurious. And
this house even had a fireplace, a highly desirable amenity back then.
So how did my grandfather afford all that when the average annual salary was
only around $8,500?
Additionally, a substantial down payment, often around 20%, was generally
expected.
How in the world did they afford to save on $8,500 a year?!
Life was simply different back then…you know, “the good ole days.”
There wasn’t a coffee shop on every corner.
There weren’t giant shopping centers everywhere competing for your attention.
People actually made their own clothes!
Going out to dinner was a special occasion, not A Friday and Saturday night
tradition. Apparently, the ovens and cooktops still worked on weekends back then. Imagine that. 🙃
And credit cards? They weren’t nearly as convenient or widely used as they are
today. And you had to pay them in FULL every month. If you wanted something, you
generally had to save for it.
Wild times, I know!
The point is, there was simply less temptation to spend.
Today, we can spend money before we even get out of bed.
Amazon. DoorDash. Shopping apps. Subscriptions. Coffee runs.
Our phones are basically little spending machines.
And somewhere along the way, “I want it” quietly became “I need it.”
Now, I’m not saying housing affordability isn’t a real issue.
It absolutely is.
Home prices, interest rates, insurance, taxes, construction costs and inflation
all matter.
But there is one thing we can control more than we realize:
SAVE MONEY!
Teach your kids, starting as young as possible, to save money. When they get their
first job, encourage them to start saving for their first house. Then, when the
time comes, they’ll actually have a down payment!
My recommended starting point?
Save 10% of your monthly gross income.
If you can’t start at 10%, start with what you CAN.
But just START!
Look at where your money is going.
If you’re consistently spending more than you’re saving…well…
🚩 Houston, we have a problem! 🚩
Sometimes you have to make some BIG cuts for a season.
Maybe skip the shopping.
Maybe make coffee at home.
Maybe tell yourself:
“No, we are NOT going to Target today.”🎯
Because sacrifice for a season isn’t punishment.
It’s proper planning.
If you’re saving for a home, remind yourself that you’re not giving something up
forever.
You’re working toward something.
And trust me…the coffee shop will still be there.
The clothes will still be there.
The trends will come and go.
But that home?
That’s something you can build equity in, raise your family in, create memories in
and perhaps, maybe, eventually pass down.
And who knows?
Maybe one day you’ll be sitting by the pool at YOUR house, sipping that coffee
with your new neighbor and thinking…
“Thank You, Jesus. I’m really glad I skipped all those coffee shops.”
🇺🇸 The American Dream Is NOT Dead🇺🇸
But it does require:
Discipline.
Patience.
Sacrifice.
Planning.
And Faith.
It’s never too late to start.
Start where you are.
Save what you can.
Stay consistent.
Teach your kids.
Make wise choices.
And trust God with the process.
Because sometimes we’re praying for God to provide the house…
while He’s teaching us how to manage the money to buy it.
So keep saving, keep praying, keep working, and stay the course.Your dream home might be closer than you think. 🏖 🏡 🏝
“The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.”
Proverbs 21:20 (NLT)
Well, somebody tell my Amazon cart to repent. 🥹
