Has the American Dream turned into a nightmare? ¿Se ha vuelto el Sueño Americano una pesadilla?

YES. And in my opinion this has to do primarily due to:
Greed! --buyer's, seller's, agent's, bank's. How can you buy something you cannot afford and with NO money down. I still remember some clients telling me "only in the U.S. can you buy something so expensive with no money down and still get money back." And they said with an incredible but satisfying smile.
Easy Credit! The industry (builders, banks, government) made credit so easy but with one fundamental basic mistake: How can you increase home ownership so fast so much with no increase in real income?