Will Real Estate Ever Be Normal Again?

The cruel realities of America's housing market.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 13, 2021 Homes had been one of the few things resistant to online shopping: We browsed online, but we didn't buy. The pandemic changed that. The result was a market that moved much, much faster. In 2020, 63 percent of North American home buyers made at least one offer on a home that they had never stepped into. The cutthroat competitiveness that once defined only a few U.S. markets (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles) has now become standard across the country, as the median home price in small- and medium-size metropolitan areas rose by jaw-dropping levels. In our cover story this week, Francesca Mari reports from Austin on the cruel realities of America's housing market, in which home prices nationwide have risen by an astonishing 24.8 percent since March 2020. Photo Illustration by Dan Winters Will Real Estate Ever Be Normal Again? In Austin and cities around the country, prices are skyrocketing, forcing regular people to act like speculators. When will it end? By Francesca Mari Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. MORE FROM THE MAGAZINE Illustration by Derek Brahney The 1619 Project and the Long Battle Over U.S. History Fights over how we tell our national story go back more than a century — and have a great deal to teach us about our current divisions. By Jake Silverstein Amanda Demme for The New York Times The Emily Ratajkowski You'll Never See With her new book, the model tries to escape the oppressions of the male gaze. So our writer is keeping some of her secrets. By Andrea Long Chu Photo illustration by Bráulio Amado Talk Yuval Noah Harari Believes This Simple Story Can Save the Planet "We need to stay away from the apocalyptic thinking that it's too late and the world is ending and move toward a more practical thing: 2 percent of the budget." By David Marchese Illustration by Tomi Um The Ethicist What Do I Owe My Difficult Mother-in-Law? The magazine's Ethicist columnist on why offering regular help creates sometimes unwelcome obligations of its own — and more. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Adam Ferguson for The New York Times Letter of Recommendation How Volunteer Firefighting Helped Me Process My Grief Facing a world on fire turns out to be a great way not to contemplate one's own misfortunes. By David Wall Photo illustration by Ina Jang Diagnosis A Doctor Asks Two Strange Questions That Reveal a Mysterious Disease She had a persistent cough that cracked a rib, and her body ached all the time. What was it? By Lisa Sanders, M.D. Illustration by Radio Tip How to Do a Voice-Over Don't be afraid to improvise. Avoid saying one line at a time. By Jaime Lowe Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophie Leng. Eat The Secret to a Better Green Salad A chef's tricks can make even the simplest salads shine. By Eric Kim Illustration by R. O. Blechman Poem: From the Pocket of His Lip Even on the saddest days, with the saddest memories, we do more than curse with our pink confessions. By Airea D. Matthews and Reginald Dwayne Betts Illustration by Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy Judge John Hodgman on Menu Talk A husband thinks you should have to decide what to order within minutes. By John Hodgman Stay in touch: Follow us on Twitter (@NYTmag) or check us out on Instagram. Appreciated this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. Listen to narrated versions of our articles every week. Download Audm for iPhone or Android. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018