One couple I’m thinking of, the husband didn’t leave the military until around ten years ago. So they certainly didn’t buy in the 90s. It was pre Covid though.

There could be family money but not obviously so. I do think the space is a bit tight and they are somewhat house poor, but still. It seems very viable. You aren’t talking about needing to eat instant raman every night.

I could believe savings is the thing that falls on the ground.

Savings (retirement & college) are totally the things that just got skipped.

I have friends with kids going to college now, and they mention the shock of talking to neighbors who basically admit as their kid hits 18 "they got into all these good schools but I can't afford them".

I dunno man, you choose to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world, prep your kid for high achievement, and then fall flat on your face in the final lap.

Guaranteed these are the same people who will be working til they die too.

All this to live on the Upper East Side?

I’m with you, I’d rather a “boring” suburb. But the whole I’m poor on $500k genre can be pretty tiresome sometimes. Yeah, you have to make tradeoffs, but that doesn’t mean you are poor.

Yup. Not poor, just different preferences. And if they feel poor, then bad decision making.

There are many wonderful nearby places to live much easier, on less. Or much better, on the same.