> "We mostly can't hope to buy a good house in a mortgage for the salary we get, because the prices are now sky high and to buy a usable house you need enormous

> "We mostly can't hope to buy a good house in a mortgage for the salary we get, because the prices are now sky high and to buy a usable house you need enormous sacrifice AND be in the top 5% income." This varies hugely by region in the US. Here in the Southeast, I know plenty of single earner, bottom of middle class families with houses. $150,000 will get you a decent house in decent neighborhood. $250,000 to $350,000 is McMansion territory.