Not even a 0% mortgage rate would make buying a house affordable in these 6 U.S. cities

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• Housing affordability in the U.S. remains at crisis levels due to a combination of stubbornly high mortgage rates and home prices. Even if mortgage rates dropped substantially, the core problem is persistently high prices, particularly in major metro areas. Affordable inventory remains tight as current homeowners hold onto low-rate mortgages.

There are several factors affecting housing affordability in the U.S.—and stubbornly high mortgage rates are something felt across the country.