The survey, released in March for Bankrate.com, a financial services company, found that 74 percent of respondents ranked homeownership as the highest gauge of prosperity, above having a career (60 percent), children (40 percent) and a college education (35 percent). What do you think is the highest gauge of prosperity?

To find more affordable housing, 58 percent of all respondents said they would be willing to make compromises. Would you make any of these compromises for a home?

Seventy-two percent said they would buy their current home again. If you could go back in time, would you buy the same house you have now?