[TheLoneAdmin]

The biggest cost in any metro area is land. There are few empty lots left to build on, and those go for a premium. Not going to give any specific listing publicity, but "$350,000 USD for 0.047 acres empty lot" is common in the residential parts of Atlanta. We recently paid $25M for 8 acres with abandoned warehouses on them, to build condos on. We're still looking at $100k land costs per condo.

Go out two counties and a 1.5 hour commute, and land is only $5k/acre. Plenty of $200k starter homes in that area. No one wants to move out there though.

Disclaimer - I work in the residential construction business

[tmaly]

zoning laws do not help either. If you're in an area that requires a min 2 acre lot while your grandfathered neighbors have house on 1/4 acre, that surely does not help the price.

[zymhan]

Why, why didn't I just go into a ton of debt right after college and buy a house in Atlanta...