You are so right! I live in Asheville. Our situation is complicated by tourism. Homeowners can make more money by renting rooms to tourists than renting them to long-term renters, so the market for affordable rooms, apartments, and homes is very small. There is less land suitable for building (e.g. steep slopes) and poor infrastructure to bring people from further away into the city. So prices continue to rise. I don't think it will change soon.