Your anecdote doesn’t disprove the fact that homebuying is more unaffordable than ever. I made a comment about this earlier today, but I’ve got enough cash for a 20% down-payment on a modest house in my area but still can’t get a loan because ~55% of my monthly income is obligated towards rent. You’ve escaped the rat race, congratulations, but quite a bit has changed between 2021 and 2024, even if it doesn’t feel like it was that long ago.