It's-a Me, Mario! Reporting on a-Housing Crisis! Mama Mia!

Here We Go Again: Housing Costs Sky High!

Mamma mia! Mario here reporting live from the Mushroom Kingdom… which let me tell you is cheaper than most places these days! I just read a report from Realtor.com and it seems buying a casa is harder than dodging Goombas! Apparently you need a six figure salary to afford a regular ol' house in most of the USA. Six figures! I could buy a lifetime supply of spaghetti with that kind of dough!

Hawaii: The Bowser's Castle of Real Estate

So get this: Hawaii is like Bowser's Castle – beautiful but you gotta be a millionaire to live there! They say you need to earn $229,341 just to afford a three bedroom house. That's more than the average family makes there! Maybe I should start a luau business… or just stick to plumbing eh?

Ohio: The Land of Affordable Plumbers (and Homes!)

But it's a not all doom and gloom! Ohio is apparently the Mushroom Kingdom of affordability! A three bedroom house only needs an income of $74,663. That's doable! Maybe I should pack my bags and open a plumbing shop in Ohio. "Mario's Plumbing: It's a me fixing your pipes at a reasonable price!"

Half the Country's Singing 'It's a Not Enough!'

The report says that in nearly half the country families can't afford the monthly mortgage payments on a three bedroom house. That's like trying to jump over a flagpole and missing! These interest rates are higher than the beanstalk! Realtor.com is saying people need to spend no more than 30% of their income on housing. Good luck with that.

Top 5 Most Expensive States: A Super Mario Challenge!

So here's the list of places where your wallet will scream 'Game Over!': 1. Hawaii (Seriously who can afford this?!) 2. California (Surfing is fun but not worth a mortgage crisis!) 3. Montana (Beautiful mountains scary prices!) 4. Idaho (Potatoes and expensive houses?) 5. New York (Fuggedaboutit!) You'd need to make at least 140% of the median income to afford a house in these places. That's like needing a Super Star just to survive!

The Affordable Five: A Chance to Level Up!

But don't despair my friends! There's still hope! Here are the top 5 most affordable states: 1. Ohio (O H! I O! I'm a moving there!) 2. Michigan (Motor City and affordable houses? Awesome!) 3. Illinois (Deep dish pizza AND a reasonable mortgage? Yes please!) 4. Iowa (Cornfields and cost effective living!) 5. Pennsylvania (Home of cheesesteaks and sensible home prices!) In these states the median household income is 1.5 times what you need to afford a three bedroom property. Sounds like the kind of place you can actually save some coins!