unilad homepage
  • News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Mortgage statement from 1952 sparks discussion as people could ‘actually afford to live'

Home> Community> Life

Published 15:03 25 Oct 2023 GMT+1

Mortgage statement from 1952 sparks discussion as people could ‘actually afford to live'

Back in 1952, housing was hundreds of thousands of dollars cheaper than it is now

Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

If you were already wound up about the cost of buying a home at the moment, this will really add insult to injury.

The price of houses are higher now than ever, making it virtually impossible to get on the property ladder if you're a first-time-buyer.

A recent study found that people in the US need at least a six-figure salary to be able to afford a mortgage in most areas of the country, with San Fransisco coming up top as having the most expensive homes.

Advert

In the report conducted by Redfin, it was estimated that San Fransisco residents need to be making an eye-watering $404,332 a year to be able to afford being an homeowner as the median monthly mortgage payment currently stands at $10,108.

Yeesh.

Meanwhile, the most affordable place to live was Detroit, where it was found that you'll need an annual income of $51,793 to buy a home.

Going back 70 years, you needed substantially less - and I mean substantially - in a bid to afford to be a homeowner.

The median house price in San Fransisco is $1,482,500.
Alexander Spatari/Getty

A photo of a mortgage payment slip posted on Reddit from 1952 shows that the owner paid just $45.29 a month towards their mortgage for their property in Pennsylvania - and yes, you read that right.

With it being so darn cheap, Redditors have begun to debate the price, with some even translating it to what the price would be in the modern day.

"16 more payments to go, 6% interest rate," someone wrote.

"Adjusted for inflation, that is $520.79/month now. Of course, the insurance & property taxes aren't added on.

"The balance remaining after paying it would be $7,984.17 today."

Another person added: "My mother is 92 and when she talks about her mortgage from the 1960’s, she says, "Boy, that was a long 16 years to pay off the mortgage'."

The price of this man's mortgage in 1952 has floored Redditors.
Reddit/1stumbler
Someone replied to the comment saying that they'd need 16 years just to 'save up for the downpayment'.

"Well this is depressing," added another, as someone else quipped: "Now that, that I can swing!"

But others noted that people earned a hell of a lost less 70 years ago.

It's reported that the average family income in the 1950 was just $3,300.

This later dropped to around $2,300 in 1954, and it wasn't until the 1960s that wages began to look more optimistic.

As per Trading Economics: "Wage Growth in the United States averaged 6.19 percent from 1960 until 2023, reaching an all time high of 15.28 percent in April of 2021 and a record low of -5.89 percent in April of 2020."

But, it's still kind of crazy to think a monthly mortgage payment from 1952 couldn't even get you a pair of Nike Dunk's nowadays...

Featured Image Credit: Reddit/1stumbler / Joe_Potato/Getty

Topics: Life, Money, US News, Reddit

Niamh Shackleton
Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

X

@niamhshackleton

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

a day ago
3 days ago
4 days ago
  • emiliekiser/Instagram
    a day ago

    TikTok star Emilie Kiser states 3-year-old son's drowning death was 'preventable' in pool safety message

    The influencer shared a lengthly statement in Instagram on the 10 month anniversary of her son's passing

    Community
  • Supplied
    3 days ago

    Dad, 35, recalls warning signs he ignored for 'longer than he realized' before being diagnosed with 'inoperable' cancer

    Dale Atkinson was told the devastating prognosis on his son's birthday

    Community
  • Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images
    3 days ago

    How Chicago dyes its river green for St Patrick's Day and surprising reason why tradition began

    It's a tradition that's been going on since 1962

    Community
  • Steve Heap / Getty Images
    4 days ago

    Costco urgently recalls popular refrigerator item over Salmonella fears

    At least 29 states are thought to be affected, with the recalled product sold between March 2 and March 13

    Community
  • Average amount Americans with 30-year mortgage will have to spend on repayments as Iran war increases rates
  • Jordin Sparks reveals what she really won from American Idol
  • People urged to check junk drawers as common item from 2007 could soon be worth $50,000
  • People point out major issue as newly proposed bill could have big impact on people applying for jobs