Q&A: Her Brother Owns 3 Houses — Is That Why We Have a 'Housing Shortage'?

Q&A: Her Brother Owns 3 Houses — Is That Why We Have a 'Housing Shortage'?

From Afford Anything | Get Smarter With Money by Paula Pant, Personal Finance Expert | Cumulus Podcast Network

July 21, 2026 · 1h 23m · Episode 734

About this episode

This episode discusses the U.S. housing shortage, mortgage strategies, and simplifying investment portfolios.

#734: Depending on which source you ask, the U.S. is short somewhere between 1.2 million and 10 million homes — and the reason for that wild range says as much about who's counting as it does about the shortage itself. 👉 Free cheat sheet: which investments belong in which account: https://affordanything.com/assetlocation This week, Paula and Joe tackle three listener questions: whether the housing shortage is real or a wealth-concentration problem, whether a 26-year-old should pay off his mortgage or keep investing toward financial independence, and how to simplify a portfolio spread across 13 funds. We discuss: Whether the housing shortage is real — or just wealthy people buying vacation homes Why entry-level starter homes are in shorter supply than luxury homes - A simple way to add housing supply in your area while increasing your own rental income How to simplify a $1.5 million portfolio spread across 13 funds without losing tax efficiency Which investments belong in a Roth account vs. a 401(k) vs. a taxable account Why taking a 30-year mortgage (and paying it off fast) can beat a 15-year mortgage How to decide whether to pay off a mortgage early or invest the difference…

People in this episode

Host: Paula Pant

Guest: Joe

Topics covered

  • housing shortage
  • wealth concentration
  • mortgage strategies
  • investment portfolio
  • financial independence

Keywords

  • housing shortage
  • wealth concentration
  • mortgage
  • investment portfolio
  • financial independence
  • Roth account
  • 401(k)
  • tax efficiency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cumulus Podcast Network

Places: U.S.

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