A lot of it has to do with arranging priorities. When I bought, I wasn't making a lot of money. I skipped vacations and used other cost-cutting measures to increase my mortgage payments. It is different now for folks buying into the market; there are barely any starter homes left. But my neighbors ARE teachers, mechanics, professors and doctors - they aren't leaving - they are buying homes with two incomes and deferring children for a while (or altogether). The homes in my community are now $1mill+ and nothing stays on the market more than two weeks. It's astounding how quickly homes are selling. But this thread isn't about real estate ;-)