For decades, owning a home was considered a golden ticket to economic security.

The reality looks a lot different today -- the median price of a single-family home in Seattle is around $1 million, and the greater Seattle area is the third most expensive in the nation. 

So, why do prices keep going up? And what would it take to make the dream of owning a home in this city affordable again? 

We put those questions to a real estate economist.   

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Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

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