I'm not here to talk about the housing crisis in that regard, I'm here to talk about how we got here. It is more profitable for a builder to build a large, 2-story home on a lot than a small ranch home that is affordable for the buyer. That, I believe is a huge problem as we are forced to either buy a home that is too big for what we really need, or we buy an older, smaller, more affordable home that drowns us in repairs. We need more affordable, smaller homes being built for families! There isn't a builder that I know that is willing to reduce his profit to do such a thing.
I've envisioned communities with 1000-1200sq ft ranch homes that are $80K, making it affordable for most families. There just isn't anything like that being built anymore. It isn't entirely the builder's greed that is the cause, it is American's greed as well, as they seek to live in homes that are much larger than they actually need. I'm reminded of the scripture in Luke 12 of the man who was doing so good, he thought he would build bigger barns. Why not, right? You've earned it, you should have better, right? That man lost sight of helping others and instead focused on his own luxuries and security.
I suppose you can do whatever you want and live the life you've earned (hopefully by moral means), but I feel that God doesn't just bless us with finances for us to have more. I believe God hopes we will think of someone other than ourselves! Again, novel thought I know.
You can either ensure your own luxury in this world, or you can be the tool of the hand of God to help others in need. Sometimes God may draw us out of our own financial security to help another - are we willing to obey Him or is our financial security really our God? It is time to become dependent upon God and not independent on our own.
