Pergens and his wife, Amanda, have a 6-year-old daughter and another child due this month. She stopped working as a pastry chef during the pandemic. They rent a small two-bedroom apartment. “We build all these fancy homes,” Pergens says. “Fancy, fancy houses … and low-income apartments. And there’s absolutely nothing in between.”
The Housing Shortage Is Significant. It’s Acute For Small, Entry-Level Homes — https://www.npr.org/2021/09/04/1033585422/the-housing-shortage-is-significant-its-acute-for-small-entry-level-homes?
Good article but the analysis is only partially correct. Affordable housing has been an issue for decades. It’s not merely an issue of current economic conditions. It’s a lack of political will and the continuing demise of the middle class. WAY BACK last century our starter home cost less than $100,000 and we had over 1600 square feet 3BR 2B.
It’s no wonder the newest hit show on HGTV is Cheap Old Houses. https://www.hgtv.com/shows/discovery-plus-home/articles/cheap-old-houses-hgtv-show
lifeunderwriter.net 
I agree completely. And I also believe it depends on the area where you look. In my city, many many of these starter homes are being built. In fact a friend of mine in her late 60s, chose to downsize and buy one of these. She paid around 160,000. It is 1500 ft.², and she had the typical choices in a spec home, such as flooring and countertops. But not a whole lot of customization. Nice yard, not huge, but plenty big enough for her two dogs, gardening, and entertainment.
I totally agree. Come to Oklahoma and you will find starters in the same size and price range.
My starter home in 1989 was 65,900.