I never thought I'd see homes costing as much as they do until I moved here. I can't imagine how people can afford these prices if your new to the market. According to this piece there is some relief due to the new construction market but at the end of the day rates are very high, as well as demand. Personally, I'm going to have to figure something out very soon. I rent, and I can't go on paying such a high cost per month. More on the story here.