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Re:Made in America is back, leaving US factories scrambling ... by geysersam on Monday October 10, 2022 @01:24AM (#33148069)
You bring up a good point. But there are other important reasons. Particularly the availability of cheap money for speculation in the housing market. The reason for this is the historically low interest rates.
Re:Made in America is back, leaving US factories scrambling ... by bamboozled on Monday October 10, 2022 @01:46AM (#33148184)
What happens when the interest rates go back up?

Let's say they go from < 1% to > 10%?

Re:Made in America is back, leaving US factories scrambling ... by geysersam on Monday October 10, 2022 @02:09AM (#33148307)
If we're lucky, the market recalibrates on a more affordable level. Workers start seeing real wage increases. Speculation and stimulus gives way to real economic development.

If we're unlucky, the interest rates are not allowed to increase for fear of falling house prices.

Re:Made in America is back, leaving US factories scrambling ... by astrange on Monday October 10, 2022 @04:20AM (#33149059)
That just means construction has been made illegal. There's no reason "cheap money for speculation" would be easier to get than "cheap money for construction" otherwise; speculation is riskier!

And when interest rates go back up, it gets even harder to finance construction.

Re:Made in America is back, leaving US factories scrambling ... by geysersam on Monday October 10, 2022 @08:22AM (#33150436)
There is money for constructing large expensive apartments who people who can acquire a bank loan would like to buy as an investment. There is little money for constructing cheap small simple rentals, because rentals are paid by wages, not inflated loans. But this is the segment where the demand is highest.

The cheap mortgages distorts the price signals, making the market less efficient.