The value of a typical home has reached $1 million or more in a record number of U.S. cities, according to recent data from Zillow.
The real estate site found that in February, median home values crossed the 7-figure mark in 550 cities — an increase of 59 cities over last year. Those million-dollar homes are proliferating, and not just in the usual high cost metro areas like New York, San Francisco and LA.
It’s been a while since most buyers batted an eye at a million dollar listing in San Francisco or Los Angeles, per California realtor Mark Willey. But when he moved to the San Luis Obispo area of the central coast about 15 years ago, a million dollar home was something special.
“That was like luxury living, right? I mean, that was cream of the crop,” he said.
Often with actual crops, like acres of grape vines or a view of the ocean. But now? “In San Luis Obispo proper a million bucks gets you a dump,” Willey said, laughing.
And a million dollar mortgage is more expensive than even a year ago. Price increases have slowed but not reversed, because there’s stiffer competition for fewer homes.
There’s something symbolic about a million dollar home becoming “typical,” noted economist Gray Kimbrough at American University.
“It does speak to sort of how out of whack things have gotten,” he said.
First-time home buyers have been completely shut out of many markets, Willey added. And new construction isn’t keeping up with demand.
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