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Comment by kiklion | Hacker News Reader

I would be cautious how much of your frustration is because of the US changing or not meeting your expectations vs you happening to make major life decision right when there happened to be major world changing events. (Covid, Russia/Ukraine primarily.)

Since you aren’t in your old life anymore, you don’t know exactly how good or bad it would have been had you stayed.

Moving on beyond that, some places are definitely worse off than others within the US. Housing where I live is getting more expensive, but incomes are also going up substantially. And they are building thousands of new housing.

You mention being a top 5% earner. Unless that is top 5% locally, you are probably using up a lot of that top 5% income to live in a top 1% location.

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According to the stats, we make top 5% income of our area. It sure doesn't feel like it. Makes me wonder how people in much lower income who hasn't inherited their home can make ends meet here (the answer is probably not very well).

Regarding your first point, you are right, you can't A/B test your life. In any event I'm reporting my current experience, which is both not better than my previous and expected one.

>> Buying a home? Give me a break

> According to the stats, we make top 5% income of our area

Well one of those two things isnt true. It's not possible to be 95%ile income and not afford a house.

Do you have the corresponding statistics (income percentiles vs. average house cost) for all areas in the US handy, allowing you to quickly determine this is not possible? Or do you not like the idea and therefore reject it?

Do you have a single example where it is possible?

Why did you not ask GP for an example, and instead declared it impossible, if you do not have the required statistics?

because thats not the way debate works. you dont get to make a(n absurd) claim and then demand the other person disprove it with data across 100% of the spectrum.

I didn't say that this is how debates work. How they should work however:

> A: [some statement]

> B: I don't think that is the case. Could you share an example?

> A: [example]

See where nobody had to disprove anything with data across 100% of the spectrum? That's because nobody made the claim that A is wrong. You however made an absolute claim, so you have to provide the data for it.

There are multiple ways this can happen:

* people in the area are not owning their houses, but (the companies owned by) people who live somewhere in Florida do (or the richer part of the same town)

* people bought their houses 40 years ago when it was still possible to do so, but would now be totally priced were they required to buy it now

* same but the rental equivalent for rent controlled apartments (or kind landlords)

* due to the interest rate increases, mortgages for new homes have increased rapidly, like even if the house price is the same as 1.5 years ago, the mortgage is now three times as much for the same down payment and duration.

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