I'm 100% willing to pay more to actually be near life and culture. My issue isn't with the cost, per se, more that if I say "Aiight, imma save a bit more so I can get my chosen home" and then interest rates bump so now that it is $500 more a month even if the price doesn't go up, but it did, so now the same house is a cool $1000+ a month more expensive than when it was when I started saving to buy it.Got a friend who got a remote job and moved out of the city to get a cheaper house. That might be the reality for people who want bigger houses for their money.
There are way too many suburban homes that were just a few blocks outside of the city that went from the 250 range to 400. Even seeing that they were bought at one point and were put back on the market within a year with a paint job and kitchen appliance upgrades. It's madness.