Amy Nixon discusses historical and current trends in the U.S. housing market in a series of posts on her Twitter account. The tweets, published between March 23 and March 24, 2026, focus on mortgage terms, payment affordability, and changes in home prices relative to income.
On March 23, Nixon commented on common advice regarding mortgage lengths: “A lot of commenters on this post are saying you should never use a 30 year mortgage and not to buy a home unless you can get a 15 year Wait until you hear about the 50 year…”
The following day, she highlighted changes in affordability over time: “The average monthly mortgage payment in 1987 was $760 The Boomer new house payment is today’s new car payment https://t.co/qCQ4yD9Y4C” On the same date, Nixon provided additional context about interest rates and home prices: “That was with a 10% mortgage rate too The high mortgage rates didn’t shock the system like today’s because homes cost $90,000 and median incomes were like $45,000 Find me anywhere in the US today where a house costs just 2x median household income”
Nixon’s remarks come amid ongoing debates about housing affordability in the United States. Historically, while higher interest rates existed during periods such as the late 1980s, lower home prices relative to income allowed for more manageable payments for many buyers. In recent years, however, rising home prices have outpaced wage growth across much of the country.
