> they must have been doing something right to save ~1x salary for a down payment. (Unless people are somehow getting mortgages without down payments these days

> they must have been doing something right to save ~1x salary for a down payment. (Unless people are somehow getting mortgages without down payments these days?) I thought it was common knowledge that virtually no mortgage requires 20% down and has not for many years. All of them do for mortgages without mortgage insurance, yes, but not to just get a loan. FHA wants 3.5%, most conventional loans will take 5%, and some large credit unions (NASA FCU, Navy Federal) will do 0% down and a lender credit for closing costs. As to the rest of your comment, I mostly agree. Debt is not a bad four-letter word if used properly. Lots of people, including millenials desperate to have "a real life," don't do that. Rent vs buy is really complicated and even though I own there are many times I'd rather rent (usually when something major fails)...