As your trusted real estate advisor, I want to help you navigate today’s housing market with eyes wide open. With home prices continuing their upward trajectory and mortgage rates still relatively high, many buyers across the country are feeling the squeeze. Simply put, affordability has become one of the biggest challenges we face—whether you're buying your first home or moving up. (See map at bottom of this page) Also play the youtube video below to see how easy it is to use the interactive tool which helps you check your affordability! The link to the tool is below the video.

In 2025, the financial landscape has shifted so significantly that in all but 15 states, it now takes a six-figure income to comfortably afford a median-priced home. That’s based on a 10% down payment, a 6.65% interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage, and keeping total housing costs within 30% of your income

To give you perspective: nearly half of U.S. households can’t afford a $250,000 home. Yet nationally, the median price for a new single-family home has reached nearly $496,000. That’s a wide and growing gap.

Some states are feeling this more than others. Hawaii, for instance, now requires an annual income of $229,000 to purchase a typical three-bedroom home—making it the least affordable state in the country. Even Montana, with its modest income levels, has seen prices rise fast enough to land it among the top five least affordable markets.

But not every region tells the same story. States like West Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio, and Indiana still offer pockets of relative affordability. In West Virginia, for example, a household earning $71,000 could afford the median home comfortably—well below the state’s median income of $90,000.

The bottom line? Whether you're buying or selling, these trends matter. For buyers, it means being strategic about timing, location, and financing. For sellers, it underscores the importance of realistic pricing and market positioning. That’s where I come in.

If you’re considering your next move—whether it's here in the South Bay or elsewhere—let’s talk. With my 45+ years of experience, I can help you interpret what these national trends mean for your specific goals, and craft a strategy that works for you.

Use this interactive calculator to learn more about the income you need to qualify for a loan

Let’s connect.