A Short Story About Why You Cannot Buy A House

A Short Story About Why You Cannot Buy A House

From Economics Explained by Economics Explained

December 2, 2025 · 13 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the global housing crisis and the unattainability of home ownership in major cities worldwide.

Home ownership is now unattainable in every major city worldwide. For the first time, none of the 95 cities tracked by Demographia are considered affordable. In cities such as Hong Kong (14.4 times income), Sydney (13.8 times), Vancouver, London, and San Francisco, housing prices range from 9 to 30 times the average household income. Essential workers, including teachers and nurses, as well as young families, are being priced out of the cities they support. This raises critical questions about how housing became a leading investment asset, whether prices will continue to rise, and what measures are needed to address the global housing crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Topics covered

  • housing crisis
  • home ownership
  • affordability
  • investment assets
  • urban living
  • economic inequality

Keywords

  • housing prices
  • affordable housing
  • global cities
  • income disparity
  • real estate
  • essential workers

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Demographia

Places: Hong Kong, Sydney, Vancouver, London, San Francisco

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