[driverdan]

So you're saying the key to spending $30k/y in the Bay Area is to have a high six figure bank account that you use to buy a house?

[pyrrhotech]

I put $34k down on an 80-10-10 mortgage. You can easily save that amount in a year or two if you are willing to live on $30-40k a year, which is still possible while renting if you are willing to live with roommates. My salary at the time was $85k.