By Richard Horgan Los Angeles (Knewz) — There are a thousand and one metrics in the latest U.S. home affordability data from Zillow. For starters, in 45 of the country’s 50 largest metropolitan areas, mortgage payments are now higher than rent. A few years ago, in 2019, that was true for only 22 of these biggest cities. Thanks to the rise in mortgage rates, the typical monthly home payment now is $2,127, which is 51 percent higher than the same time a year ago and 36 percent more than at the beginning of the year. The inventory of homes for sale remains extremely low, currently sitting at abou…