I understand. I lived for years in Boulder, Colorado, a very expensive place. I bought a one-bedroom condo there because that was all I could afford. I knew people who lived in other parts of the US who owned huge houses worth less than my condo. On the other hand, they had to live in those cities/towns/states. ;)

Now I live in southern England. We are lucky that we bought a few years ago; we couldn't afford this place today. We have a three-bedroom townhouse, small by American standards. My sister, who lives outside of Philadelphia, has a much larger house: an actual detached house, a huge yard (we have a small garden) and a lot more square footage. A lot. Our house is worth more than hers. It's kind of scary. Other parts of England are cheaper. Most of Scotland is cheaper. Wales is cheaper. But this is where we live. Our jobs are here. Etc. *sigh*