[kilbuz]

The math depends largely on what sort of housing situation you are assuming. As you probably know. $1.5-$1.8MM is a small (1200-1500 sq ft.) 3bd/2bth ranch house in a San Jose suburb with mediocre schools and strip mall culture. (e.g., https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1995-Majestic-Way-San-Jos...)

It goes up from there. Townhouses are getting close to $1.5MM now in the same area. I haven't followed prices in SF recently, but they are no better I assume. I think you'd be priced out of a small house on the peninsula at $500k/year.

If you're paying for college times 2, I don't know, $500k sounds kind of minimal with 7-10k a month mortgage if you want any sort of ability to save a meaningful amount of money.

Keep in mind you'll be paying $30k+ a year in property taxes every single year for the privilege of that house.