Two years ago the Washington Post reported that the median price for homes in my tiny suburb was something like $700K. My boss at the time found the article and was instantly suspicious, first of the data, and then of me for claiming to live there. Not one of my favorite people. Still, there are lots of out-of-the-way streets where I live with rows of McMansions. That's much harder to imagine in the grid that is Chicago....

I thought my neighbor above me was on crack when he was selling his condo for $330K, but he eventually got that price! Want to buy a place for under $200K? - forget about it. It's getting to the point where you literally cannot find anything affordable in Andersonville.

I'd say that point is in the rear view mirror.

Absolutely.

My parents keep encouraging me to buy my own place, but there's nothing in the DC area that I can afford that wouldn't be a big step down in size and proximity-to-work from my current arrangement in Anneke and Allen's basement.

We would miss you, Reed!