These days, the “American Dream” is no longer a universal idea; it means different things to different people. In previous decades, the American Dream meant doing better than your parents, which can include buying a home. But today, owning property isn’t necessarily everyone’s immediate goal. During the Great Recession, between 2007 and 2014, 7.3 million consumers lost their homes, according to RealtyTrac. With so many families affected by this loss, it is no surprise that in recent years the home ownership rate has fallen from 69 percent in the early 2000s to 63.7 percent at the beginning of 2015, according to the Washington Post. As home ownership has declined, the 2010s are on track to see the fastest growth in renters in history.