You said you moved 5+ years ago and had pleny of savings and a well paying job in North County coastal. Why didn’t you buy back then? $500k would have gotten you a house that is probably now worth $900k and if you locked or re-fi’d in the low 5’s your payment on a $450k mortgage would be less than $2500/month. Rent for that same house today would far exceed the $2500.
