Sitcom life has never been THAT realistic - think of every 20-something sitcom star's giant NYC apartment. But yes, the middle class can't afford as much house as they could in the 90s.

I agree with PP about multi-family housing, but that's not exactly an affordability fix. I live in a small rowhome (1500 sq ft), and while I really envy people with big yards and driveways and garages sometimes, we're within a 5-10 minute walk of every school in our pyramid and about 5 playgrounds. It's a fine way to live. That said, I'm in a smaller city with an awful commute to DC, and THAT's why it's so affordable. The same size rowhome in my old NOVA neighborhood would cost about 150% more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:





Alf. $2 million+ (Recently remodeled)

Family Matters. $1 million+ (Recently torn down)

Blossom $3 million+ (Remodeled 25+ years ago)

I know this is just television and not reality but it just goes to show how far we have come and not in a good way.

Middle class family sitcom life is not possible anymore in major metropolitan areas of this country.

These are only 3 examples but there are many more examples out there.

A middle class family sitcom setting in 2021 would have to take place in a shady, run down neighborhood.

Your middle class sitcom family needs to move to flyover country.

Well major metro areas in the USA out of the equation for sure.

i don't think so. in pretty much every metro area on this list, it is more than possible for a middle class family to buy a nice home in a nice neighborhood except for a small minority (NYC, LA, DMV, Boston, SF/Oakland, Seattle, maybe San Diego, Denver, and Chicago).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_statistical_areas

Anonymous wrote:Middle class TV families from the 80s/90s would be recategorized as UMC families in 2021. Families Ties, Who’s the Boss, Growing Pains, My So Called Life, Life Goes On, Wonder Years etc.

Roseanne & Married with Children are exceptions.

The Wonder Years house was very realistic for the timeframe.

Anonymous wrote:Al bunny was priced out before the show supposedly took place, but you need a largish house for the sets. Roseanne is the only housing on tv that I can think of that’s remotely realistic

Sanford and Son
Green Acres
Breaking Bad

Middle class TV families from the 80s/90s would be recategorized as UMC families in 2021. Families Ties, Who’s the Boss, Growing Pains, My So Called Life, Life Goes On, Wonder Years etc.

Roseanne & Married with Children are exceptions.

Al bunny was priced out before the show supposedly took place, but you need a largish house for the sets. Roseanne is the only housing on tv that I can think of that’s remotely realistic

Anonymous wrote:TV housing has never reflected financial reality. It’s no more realistic than Elsa’s ice castle.

Location scouts did not choose locations out of the blue. Lots of thought and research went into their selections.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:





Alf. $2 million+ (Recently remodeled)

Family Matters. $1 million+ (Recently torn down)

Blossom $3 million+ (Remodeled 25+ years ago)

I know this is just television and not reality but it just goes to show how far we have come and not in a good way.

Middle class family sitcom life is not possible anymore in major metropolitan areas of this country.

These are only 3 examples but there are many more examples out there.

A middle class family sitcom setting in 2021 would have to take place in a shady, run down neighborhood.

Your middle class sitcom family needs to move to flyover country.

+1

They could get a real mansion in Cincy or Omaha for less than half those prices:

https://www.redfin.com/OH/Cincinnati/3457-Whitfield-Ave-45220/unit-3457/home/100937808

https://www.redfin.com/NE/Omaha/140-N-39th-St-68131/home/63852716

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:





Alf. $2 million+ (Recently remodeled)

Family Matters. $1 million+ (Recently torn down)

Blossom $3 million+ (Remodeled 25+ years ago)

I know this is just television and not reality but it just goes to show how far we have come and not in a good way.

Middle class family sitcom life is not possible anymore in major metropolitan areas of this country.

These are only 3 examples but there are many more examples out there.

A middle class family sitcom setting in 2021 would have to take place in a shady, run down neighborhood.

Your middle class sitcom family needs to move to flyover country.

Well major metro areas in the USA out of the equation for sure.

TV housing has never reflected financial reality. It’s no more realistic than Elsa’s ice castle.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but I’m told I’m entitled for wanting a nice home with my good salary.

Family Matters if I remember correctly the head of the household was a cop.

Or an apartment. That's what we did. We live in a 1200 sq ft apartment in the city. Two bedrooms, just one kid (not enough space for more!). It works for us -- city amenities, reasonable mortgage, home is in great shape and upgraded. If we wanted the kind of sitcom house you're talking about, we'd have to move to a suburb, probably not close in, and likely it would need a lot of updates.

I do think that one way to deal with our very real housing crisis in the country is to get more people okay with living in multi-family buildings, and also to build more multi-family housing that is actually for families. Our home was absolutely designed for a single person or a childless couple (like 90% of new condos). The assumption outside of NYC is that people with kids will live in a SFH. But it's not necessary. Families live in apartments all over the world and in most of the world, it's not considered a mark of poverty or like you are offering your kids less. One reason we have chosen to stay in the city is that we feel it offers our kid more opportunities than we could reach in a more distant suburb. Yes, we'd have a yard. But going to the park to play isn't that bad, and we also have lots of [free] museums, classes in almost anything you'd want within walking or a short ride on public transport. Plus tons of diversity of every kind so our kid is exposed to lots of different kinds of people, which s an education in and of itself.

I also remember lots of 80s shows in apartments and grew up assuming this was a normal way to live. My Two Dads, Perfect Strangers, and reruns of Laverne & Shirley and Mary Tyler Moore. Apartments can be a great place to raise a family.

Anonymous wrote:





Alf. $2 million+ (Recently remodeled)

Family Matters. $1 million+ (Recently torn down)

Blossom $3 million+ (Remodeled 25+ years ago)

I know this is just television and not reality but it just goes to show how far we have come and not in a good way.

Middle class family sitcom life is not possible anymore in major metropolitan areas of this country.

These are only 3 examples but there are many more examples out there.

A middle class family sitcom setting in 2021 would have to take place in a shady, run down neighborhood.

Your middle class sitcom family needs to move to flyover country.

Yes, but I’m told I’m entitled for wanting a nice home with my good salary.

Alf. $2 million+ (Recently remodeled)

Family Matters. $1 million+ (Recently torn down)

Blossom $3 million+ (Remodeled 25+ years ago)

I know this is just television and not reality but it just goes to show how far we have come and not in a good way.

Middle class family sitcom life is not possible anymore in major metropolitan areas of this country.

These are only 3 examples but there are many more examples out there.

A middle class family sitcom setting in 2021 would have to take place in a shady, run down neighborhood.