Common Problems When Buying a House in the Suburbs

The first issue is that there’s simply no viable job nearby, and the commute is too long. Aside from saving on rent, it’s hard to reclaim time. If you stretch yourself thin to buy a place, you may end up playing it safe in your career simply because of the long commute.

The second problem is even thornier: who’s going to take it off your hands? You’ve built up just enough purchasing power to get in, but can someone afford to double your price once you’re inside? Could you have bought into the city center when it was flipped to you? And even if you could have, would you still choose the suburbs?

Another consequence of slowing economic growth is declining purchasing power—meaning more unemployment, pay cuts, and fewer people with the means to step up. Even those who can actually afford to buy, would they still go for the suburbs?