FIELD NOTES
Right-Sized Housing for Where You Are in Life
Today’s Observation
We do have a housing shortage.
That’s real.
We’ve been underbuilding since the 2008 Financial Crisis and never caught up.
But here’s the part people aren’t saying—
Just because there isn’t enough housing doesn’t mean what is available works for people.
Home prices are still high.
Rents are still rising.
Inflation came in hotter than expected.
Food costs keep climbing.
Gas prices are up—partly tied to the Iran situation. Short lived? Maybe. Maybe not.
Either way—
You feel it immediately.
So when people say things are “stabilizing”…
What they really mean is:
Things aren’t getting worse as fast.
That’s not relief.
The Real Problem
People are being pushed into housing that doesn’t match their life.
Not their income.
Not their stage.
Not their reality.
Let’s Put Real Numbers To It
Take someone earning $35,000 a year:
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After ~28% taxes
➡️ Take-home ≈ $2,100/month
That’s what actually hits their bank account.
Now Look at Their Options
Typical Rent
-
$1,200 – $1,800/month or more
➡️ 57% – 86% of take-home
That’s not sustainable.
That’s survival.
Right-Sized Rental Option
Small footprint home → ~$800/month
➡️ ~38% of take-home
Still real—but now it’s manageable.
-
Bills get paid
-
Stress comes down
-
There’s room to breathe
Right-Sized Ownership Option
-
Home price → ~$120,000
-
All-in payment → ~$1,050 – $1,175/month
Solo?
➡️ 50%+ of take-home
Still tight.
But split between two people:
➡️ ~$500–$600 each
➡️ ~24%–28% of take-home
Now it works.
Now you’re not just surviving—
You’re stabilizing.
This Is the Gap Nobody’s Solving
The market jumps from:
Overpriced rent
→ Straight into homeownership most people can’t afford
That jump is too big.
So people stay stuck.
Right-Sized Housing Fixes That
Not bigger.
Not smaller just to be smaller.
Right-sized.
Housing that matches where you are—right now.
Who This Is For
Workforce ($30K–$40K/year)
Needs something that works today—not years from now.
Retired Baby Boomers
Fixed income. Need to cut costs, not carry excess.
Veterans / Reset Phases
Need stability without financial pressure.
Downsizers
Choosing simplicity. Less overhead. More control.
Different situations.
Same need:
Lower cost. Less burden. More control.
What This Actually Does
This isn’t a forever home pitch.
It’s a step.
Live here → stabilize → grow → move up later if it makes sense
The Market Missed This
Developers build what makes the most money:
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Bigger homes
-
Higher rents
That leaves a huge group of people with no real option.
Bottom Line
We don’t just have a housing shortage.
We have a shortage of housing that actually fits people’s lives.
Right-sized housing fixes that.
Not by giving people less—
But by giving them something that actually works.
And right now—
That’s what people need.
-Michael
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