When I look around my circle of acquaintances, it used to be quite a bit easier to afford a home. In my parents' generation, who by the way are not academics (regarding Bubble and so on), almost everyone in our environment owns a home. In my generation, actually many do too, but with the crucial difference that in my generation both partners always work, whereas in my parents' generation usually only one income was present and it was sufficient. Going on vacation several times a year is also not something homeowners in my generation can do. We are glad to have bought a house just before the significant interest rate increase, because now we couldn't afford it despite two incomes. Whether we will ever be able to again remains to be seen. Tomorrow we will fill up oil for the first time... From the previous owners' records, I gather that we will need about 1500 liters annually.