Category: Families

Going to get old real soon? Part 2, the silver (haired) lining?

1 May, 2012 (10:53) | Apartments, boomerang generation, Demographics, Economics, Families, Households, Housing, in-law apartments, Markets, multi-households, Tenure, US News |

[Continued from yesterday's Part 1.]   By: David A. Smith   Yesterday’s post introducing the burgeoning phenomenon of the boomerang generation living at home, using as our source a recent Christian Science Monitor article, introduced us to Cassie Owens.  Judging by the story, she’s dedicated, intelligent, and unemployable in anything she’s been educated for (comparative [...]

Going to get old real soon? Part 1, future clouded

30 April, 2012 (11:16) | Apartments, boomerang generation, Demographics, Economics, Families, Households, Housing, in-law apartments, Markets, multi-households, Tenure, US News |

By: David A. Smith   Is American household formation actually in reverse?  That’s what a recent Christian Science Monitor article would lead one to conclude:   Three in 10 young adults live with parents, highest level since 1950s   Smile for the camera, kids   Personally, I find the statistic almost inconceivable.     A [...]

Renter nation: Part 3, homes must revive as a consumption asset

11 April, 2012 (09:09) | Apartments, Configuration, Demographics, Economics, Families, Homeownership, Housing, Markets, Rental, Tenure, US News, Workforce housing |

[Continued from yesterday's Part 2 and the preceding Part 1.]   By:David A. Smith   In the preceding two parts, expanded at length from Derek Thompson’s excellent essay in The Atlantic (February 29, 2012), we’ve proven that for newly formed families and Millennial couples, homeownership is no longer a reliable investment asset, and further that [...]

Renter nation: Part 2, homes are always a family-formation asset

10 April, 2012 (10:47) | Apartments, Configuration, Demographics, Economics, Families, Homeownership, Housing, Markets, Rental, Tenure, US News, Workforce housing |

[Continued from yesterday's Part 1.]   By:David A. Smith   Yesterday’s post, using Derek Thompson’s excellent essay in The Atlantic (February 29, 2012), demonstrated that for the generation of Americans on whom we rely to buy homes, they are no longer a reliable investment asset – and will not be for any foreseeable future, because [...]

Renter nation: Part 1, homes are no longer an investment asset

9 April, 2012 (11:30) | Apartments, Configuration, Demographics, Economics, Families, Homeownership, Housing, Markets, Rental, US News, Workforce housing |

By:David A. Smith   America has become a renter nation.    Urban, dense, and rental   More specifically, to grow the American economy, we need to aim for a lower homeownership rate than we had in 2005, and probably a lower homeownership rate than we have even now.  At the same time, we need to [...]