I love what you're saying and what you've done here Sheila! Financially, it's very smart. The two questions I have are:

- Would your course have changed if homes started at $3 million minimum (so the $400k to $500k starts looking more like a down payment than anywhere near home ownership)?

- How do you reconcile the perpetual property taxes when you consider the home that you "own"? Property taxes on a multi-million-dollar house, along with HOAs can equate to more than some people's full-time annual salaries, and those fees are perpetual. I think this is my biggest hang-up on owning a home here in coastal Southern California - even when you "own" it, you're never done paying.

Would love to hear your thoughts!