>>509515696
I'm not even close to middle class. To me middle class is now > $100 000 salary or 1 or 2 people owning their own home with some left over money for vacations, eating out every other week, able to buy most consumer goods on a whim.

>>508020838
So? He had a mortage. That early in his life he was able to save up a down-payment and then qualify for a mortage. Nowadays people pay sometimes 20% more in rent than the mortage payment on the same dwelling.

I'm paying cheap rent and still barely able to afford food.