The long version

The 944 became the workaround for people priced out of an air-cooled 911 who still wanted a Porsche they could track without a second mortgage, and that buyer profile has driven the last decade's price climb more than any sudden collector interest. Parts sharing with the 924 and 968 keeps a transaxle car this old genuinely usable, which matters because most examples are still bought to be driven hard rather than polished. Prices have crept high enough that the 'affordable' part of the reputation is starting to need air quotes, but the ownership behavior hasn't caught up to the new math yet.