Why the American Dream of Homeownership Is Dying and What You Can Do About It | Tom's Deepdive

Tom Bilyeu's Impact Theory

Impact Theory

Education, News, News Commentary, Philosophy, Technology, Society & Culture, Business, Self-improvement

4.7 • 5.1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 December 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Welcome back to Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu. In today’s episode, Tom Bilyeu dives deep into the current state of the American housing market and why owning a home – once the cornerstone of the American Dream – now seems completely out of reach for so many. Tom Bilyeu breaks down how policies, generational incentives, and corporate interests over decades have converged to create the least affordable housing market in generations. He unpacks the collapse of opportunity facing younger Americans, the long-term effects of money printing and wage stagnation, and why this crisis isn’t just about high prices—it’s a symptom of deeper, systemic problems. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Tom Bilyeu also shares actionable strategies for navigating this challenging landscape, building wealth, and making the system work for you. Get ready for a candid, eye-opening, and practical look at one of the most pressing issues facing our society today. Let’s dive in. 00:00 - Intro 2:50 - Part 1: What the hell happened- and how did housing kill the American Dream? 13:40 - Part 2: How Bad is it, and Who’s to Blame? 28:05 - Part 3: How to Make This Mess Work for You Business Wars: Follow Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Quince: Go to https://quince.com/IMPACTPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Linkedin: Post your job free at https://linkedin.com/impacttheory HomeServe: Help protect your home systems – and your wallet – with HomeServe against covered repairs. Plans start at just $4.99 a month at https://homeserve.com Netsuite: Right now, get our free business guide, Demystifying AI, at https://NetSuite.com/Theory Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact Raycon: Up to 20% off during this holiday season at https://buyraycon.com/IMPACTTHEORYBC Connectteam: 14 day free trial at https://connecteam.cc/46GxoTF ButcherBox: New users will receive their choice between filet mignon, ribeye or NY Strip in every box for a year + $20 off! at https://butcherbox.com/impact Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code IMPACT at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/impact Cape: 33% off with code IMPACT33 at https://cape.co/impact True Classic: Upgrade your wardrobe at https://trueclassic.com/impact Bevel Health: 1st month FREE at https://bevel.health/impact with code IMPACT What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here: If you want my help... STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER: https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder?utm_campaign=Podcast%20Offer&utm_source=podca[%E2%80%A6]d%20end%20of%20show&utm_content=podcast%20ad%20end%20of%20show SCALING a business: see if you qualify here.: https://tombilyeu.com/call Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox: sign up here.: https://tombilyeu.com/ ********************************************************************** If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast, Tom Bilyeu’s Mindset Playbook —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	In 2009, after a historic housing market collapse, the median home price in the U.S. fell to a reasonable $208,400.
0:11.0	But since then, prices have more than doubled.
0:15.0	We now have the lowest home affordability since 1984, even worse than at the peak of the 2006 housing bubble. In
0:25.4	2024, the median U.S. home price hit $420,000, an all-time high, while real wages stayed flat
0:35.3	for the fifth year straight. In over 99% of U.S. counties, the average home
0:41.4	is now officially classified as unaffordable for the median worker. In 1985, the typical first-time
0:49.3	buyer needed just five years to save a 20% down payment. Today, that number is 13.5 years.
0:58.0	That's the longest timeline ever recorded.
1:02.0	The average mortgage payment has jumped 113% just since 2020,
1:08.0	and that is the fastest affordability collapse in American history.
1:12.6	Boomers are sitting on roughly $12 trillion in home equity.
1:17.6	Most of it, though, is locked behind sub 3% mortgages that they're never going to give up.
1:23.6	Institutional investors, like BlackRock and Invitation Homes have spent over $60 billion
1:30.3	quietly hoovering up homes the public never even saw listed. For the first time in U.S. history,
1:38.3	the majority of adults under 40 believe they will never own a home. And here's the part no one wants to say out loud,
1:46.1	this isn't a collapse of prices. It's a collapse of opportunity. A society where 70% of future
1:53.6	adults will never own property is not a stable society. When people don't own anything,
1:59.7	they don't feel invested in anything because
2:02.9	they're not. And when they don't feel that they're invested, when quite frankly, they aren't invested,
2:08.0	they walk away or they just burn it all down. This isn't a housing bubble that's going to pop
2:14.1	that you can take advantage of. It's a financial chokehold created by money printing,
2:20.0	policy failure, boomer era incentives,
	...

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