Definition
The soul-crushing process of moving farther from urban centers until home prices match your budget, trading your commute time for square footage. It's the reason some people spend three hours a day in traffic.
Example Usage
They wanted to stay in Portland but ended up drive-til-you-qualify all the way to the suburbs—now it's 90 minutes each way.
Origin
Emerged in the 1990s-2000s as urban housing costs escalated and buyers sought affordability in exurbs
Fun Fact
Studies show that every 10 minutes of added commute time requires roughly 20% more home value to maintain equivalent life satisfaction—but people rarely do that math before buying.
Source: Home buyer psychology and market terminology
Related Terms
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See “drive-til-you-qualify” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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