House calls uncommon for nurses ...

A study released this week by the Center for Housing Policy, a research affiliate of the National Housing Conference that is supported by Freddie Mac, the Fannie Mae Foundation and other organizations, shows that homeownership is just a dream in many markets for workers in many occupations, including high-growth job types. Registered nurses, for example, are in high demand in the job market, though they cannot afford median-priced homes in 108 of 201 metro areas detailed in the study, titled, "Paycheck to Paycheck." (Watch Inman News for a report on this study.)

The Center for Housing Policy has launched a Web site at HousingPolicy.org with information about housing affordability for working families, and an online tool at http://www.nhc.org/chp/p2p/ allows users to examine the typical income levels and home ownership requirements for a range of metro areas across the country. A registered nurse in the San Francisco market, for example, has an annual income of $70,872, though that is still well shy of the estimated $251,541 annual income needed to own a home in that area. Data for the tool is based on a National Association of Home Builders Housing Opportunity Index for third-quarter 2007, wage data from Salary.com, and take into account the average prevailing interest rate and assume a 10 percent down payment.

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