Ryan McPherson fought hard for his piece of Austin. Back in the spring of 2022, when it seemed like everyone was angling for homes in the Texas capital, he and his wife set their sights on a tidy four-bedroom in a sprawling new development on the east side of town. They bid $20,000 above the
This As They Told It essay is based on a conversation with Ben Mutz, 39, a retired Air Force officer who purchased a home that was not originally for sale in Oakwood, Ohio. Mutz used Unlisted, an app that allows prospective buyers to get on a waiting list for homes not yet on the market.
Most of us have heard the golden rule of housing: don’t spend more than 30% of your income on housing. Known as the 30% rule, it’s a benchmark that financial experts often cite to help households avoid becoming “home poor,” meaning they have little savings left after paying monthly housing costs. Unfortunately, for many Americans,
