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[1] Kashmir Martin dreams of owning a home in Reno Nevada where she's lived her entire life.
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[2] What type of family has lived here when you were growing up? - It's a pretty middle class neighborhood, working folks...
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[3] But now Martin an accountant and her husband an audio engineer can't afford to buy a house here, even with a combined income of more than $200,000 a year.
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[4] It's a little depressing, I thought that I worked hard and made all the right decisions, so that I could at least do as well as my my family did.
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[5] After looking at 100 homes, she's nearly given up her search, and put plans to start a family on hold.
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[6] In the Reno area, single family housing prices have soared, the median price of nearly 50% in 5 years to more than $600,000.
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[7] And with mortgage rates still above 6%, the monthly cost puts buying a home out of reach⁽¹⁾ for many.
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[8] Rising housing costs have become a top issue for residents here, and one that could have wider implications in the upcoming presidential election, with this region seen as a decisive area in a key swing state.
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[10] On the campaign trail, both former president Donald Trump and vice president kamla Harris are increasingly talking about housing.
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[12] Harris has proposed $25,000 in down payment assistance to first time home buyers, along with tax break and other incentives to spur the construction of more affordable homes.
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[13] While Trump has said he would lower housing costs by opening federal land to development, rolling back regulations, and reducing overall inflation.
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[14] University of Nevada Professor Jeremy Gelman says neither candidate's plan is likely to solve the wider issue of housing affordability.
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[15] These issues are things that happen in your city, council meetings and your state legislatures, but people are looking for leadership and candidates feel like they need to provide that.
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[16] But at the end of the day, you know housing prices in Reno aren't going to depend on whether Trump or Harris becomes president.
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[17] Kashmir Martin also doesn't believe that her search for a house will be helped by whoever ends up in the White House.
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[19] As she and other frustrated home buyers continue waiting for change Shannon Pettypiece NBC News Reno Nevada.