But say you work in software and your career has plateaued. It’s tempting to move to SF because there are so many great jobs. But you cash out your $60k of equity or whatever in Dallas and go look for housing in SF.... well, you’ll have to accept a significant lifestyle change and switch to renting. There are a lot of people who feel tied down by that deal and so don’t move even though it might be better long term to be climbing the ladder at a major company than to be maxed out in the best available local job you can get.

If you are open to moving when you have to, most real estate problems are non-issues. Once you limit yourself to a hard requirement of living in a particular metro or state, you are subject to the market.

Everyone reading this can afford a home somewhere decent in the US, but you have to be willing to move.

How many people reading this in the Bay Area would even consider moving to Gilroy or Benicia? Not many I presume.