I'm almost 33 years old, I have a BA and a MA, will start a new job in september for around 40 000 euros (45 000 dollars, although if I was living in the USA it would probably be closer to something like 70k on average for the same type of job comparatively, which means I'm not doing too bad), and I'll never be able to buy a house in an attractive city:
Buying a 95 sqm appartment where I live (Lyon, second economic city of France) would cost me 800 000 dollars. So let's not even talk about buying a house.
The only hope I have is an extremely cynical one, which I loathe: my father happens to be wealthy (owning a home of 1 250 000 dollars house and a 780 000 dollars appartment, plus he's got some money), and I'm supposed to inherit half of that with my sister….but do you REALLY think that this is an exciting prospect for me? My father's death? Yeah, no, no, not at all, f*** this. Money is good, but I'm not that corrupted: I love my parents, I'd like them to live very old and in good health.
You also have to take into account the fact that, on average, housing is significantly more expensive in the USA and in Canada than in France (except in you live in Paris, which I don't), which really puts things in perspective for me: if people like me can't even buy houses in France, I can't even begin to imagine what it is like for people who are not doctors/tech developers/bankers in the US.
I know a lot of people of my generation who gave up not only on houses, but on jobs in general (something that would not be doable in the USA because if you don't work there, you're doomed, there's no social support) because they think it's just not worth it : there's nothing to gain…and I'm starting to really wonder why I wake up every morning to go to work. When I'm in my early 70's and I'm about to retire, what will I have?
I think I should really start changing my life goals, or I'll end up being super bitter about a lot of stuff.