My buddy is making ~80k a year paying 500/month for a room outside of Denver proper. He's building up just fine and doesn't have to fix broken pipes or buy new appliances or carpets.
I'm happy for your setup but the cost benefit is very individualized because the market isn't what it once was. People used to see 10% growth yearly in housing. Those days are over, but we have to pay for that growth. Like I said in that other post wages have been stagnant for a while now, you can look that up, go ahead. Real estate has outpaced them by a good clip. Bring those two factors together and realize people have different values and situations than you. I have another friend who travels and picks up trimming weed for a few months a year. Pays his entire lifestyle. I don't pay rent or a mortgage, but talking down to people about it is dumb. There are just causes and conditions. Think about some of these a little deeper and you probably wont be so quick project your situation and values onto others. Of course there are losers in basements and thots, who gives a shyt