That chart of average house prices over the decades... made me review a spreadsheet I keep and update once a year (yes, I've been told I need to get a life) to look at the inflation rate (CPI-U) for our county, the rate of increase of our house "price" (average of Zillow and Redfin estimates), and our house's valuation by our county (for property tax purposes) since our purchase around 21 years ago -- each expressed as a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over these two decades. As of mid-2026, the three figures respectively are: 2.9%, 3.6%, and 1.6%. So our house price (private valuation) has been running ahead of inflation... a 0.7% difference per year over 21 years adds up, and our house valuation is cumulatively 15% ahead of inflation! This is a real hardship for new home buyers. It is also true that the average home size and amenities have changed dramatically over the period covered by the graph you shared, but home ownership is definitely getting out of reach for more people. Your idea of biding time and investing in a diversified and riask-appropriate manner is a very sound alternative for building wealth. I'm sure that by any measure you'd be way more than 15% ahead of inflation that way! Maybe even a factor of 2 or something given what the stock market has done in the last 2 decades even accounting for the "bear markets" associated with the GFC (2007--2009), COVID (2020), and the post-COVID inflation-related market bloodbath in 2022.
Yo That is an amazing spreadsheet. I've never heard of anybody doing that, but once a year, why not? Luckily with financial accounts they do most of that for you, and with AI now you can take your brokerage spreadsheet and tell it to add CPI or any other metric you want.
My personal gauge of well-being is the price of avocados, since I like to eat one every day or every other day. When the price (NY) is $1.50 or lower, the supply chains that are important to me are clear and life is good. Sometimes they are $1 apiece, which I find amazing in NY. LIie you can buy this amazing food from 2000 miles away for a buck. Modern miracle.
But every now and then they get to $2 or $3 apiece and then I am gloomy.
Digression! Sorry! I am IMPRESSED by the financial literacy of the Pinpoint audience! Or at least one of them!
LOVED THE CARTOON!!! Hahaha!
That chart of average house prices over the decades... made me review a spreadsheet I keep and update once a year (yes, I've been told I need to get a life) to look at the inflation rate (CPI-U) for our county, the rate of increase of our house "price" (average of Zillow and Redfin estimates), and our house's valuation by our county (for property tax purposes) since our purchase around 21 years ago -- each expressed as a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over these two decades. As of mid-2026, the three figures respectively are: 2.9%, 3.6%, and 1.6%. So our house price (private valuation) has been running ahead of inflation... a 0.7% difference per year over 21 years adds up, and our house valuation is cumulatively 15% ahead of inflation! This is a real hardship for new home buyers. It is also true that the average home size and amenities have changed dramatically over the period covered by the graph you shared, but home ownership is definitely getting out of reach for more people. Your idea of biding time and investing in a diversified and riask-appropriate manner is a very sound alternative for building wealth. I'm sure that by any measure you'd be way more than 15% ahead of inflation that way! Maybe even a factor of 2 or something given what the stock market has done in the last 2 decades even accounting for the "bear markets" associated with the GFC (2007--2009), COVID (2020), and the post-COVID inflation-related market bloodbath in 2022.
Yo That is an amazing spreadsheet. I've never heard of anybody doing that, but once a year, why not? Luckily with financial accounts they do most of that for you, and with AI now you can take your brokerage spreadsheet and tell it to add CPI or any other metric you want.
My personal gauge of well-being is the price of avocados, since I like to eat one every day or every other day. When the price (NY) is $1.50 or lower, the supply chains that are important to me are clear and life is good. Sometimes they are $1 apiece, which I find amazing in NY. LIie you can buy this amazing food from 2000 miles away for a buck. Modern miracle.
But every now and then they get to $2 or $3 apiece and then I am gloomy.
Digression! Sorry! I am IMPRESSED by the financial literacy of the Pinpoint audience! Or at least one of them!