Housing experts say there just aren’t enough homes in the U.S.

Finding an affordable place to live in the U.S. can feel pretty impossible whether you’re a renter or a buyer.

To begin with, there’s a massive shortage of homes — somewhere between 4 and 7 million. And those who are able to find homes are spending a much bigger chunk of their paycheck than in recent years.

Natalie French was renting an apartment with a roommate in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when they received a notice that their rent was going up by more than 200 dollars a month. With the added pet fees, they were put out of their price range.

French and her roommate ultimately decided to move out and part ways — and for French, that meant leaving Albuquerque altogether to go back home to live with her mother,

“I would love to be able to afford a place on my own, but with my salary, that is not feasible.”

It’s a difficult situation not just for renters, but also for prospective home buyers. Ellen Lamont lives in Denver, Colorado with her partner. They put down offers on more than twenty homes because they kept losing out to other buyers, before finally closing on one.

“This idea of having your dream home is not realistic. Even at my age, it’s just – where can I live? Where can I even get a place?”

She began by asking about the shortage of 4 to 7 million homes in the U.S., and whether that was a shortage of all homes or affordable ones.

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