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This is true. As someone trapped in TX, I know lots of people who moved here excited that they sold their [insert civilized place] house and can buy a mansion in TX. Golly geez, people sure are nice here. Then they realize why the house was comparatively so inexpensive. Then they learn the difference between nice and kind. Then they leave or wish they could.

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WoodScientist@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
People have a hard time understanding that in a capitalist economy, everyone is bidding against each other for resources like housing. If two areas have comparable median income levels, they will tend to have comparable costs of living.

But that “cost of living” includes way more than just the mortgage payment. If people are paying more for property taxes, homeowners insurance, and commuting costs, there’s less money in the budget to go to the mortgage payment. Areas where property taxes, insurance, and commuting are cheap have high housing prices. Texas has extremely high property taxes, insurance, and commuting costs, so people can’t afford to bid the houses themselves up as much.

And this effect can trap people. The real value of a mortgage goes down with time - inflation helps you. But property taxes and commuting costs go up with inflation. And insurance costs rise much faster than inflation due to climate change. If your wages don’t keep up with inflation, then your total cost of housing goes up with time rather than down.

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- Folstar@lemmus.org ⁨6⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
  Indeed. Commuter costs is a funny one because people will move here thinking they can share a car with a spouse. That lasts about a week, less if they have children. Suddenly the lower mortgage or higher wages don’t look so great when the average new car is $49k.
  
  No wait, what I meant to say is living in TX is great. Everyone should buy a house here. Drive up the market, then buy mine.
  
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