I hear ya LA_R. Its one of the reasons my wife and I have kinda decided that when we finally do take the plunge and buy, we’re going to focus on something close to a price that either one of us could afford on our own, rather than maxing out our combined debt ratios, running the risk of ruin if either of us is out of work for a long period of time. Granted, that means a much lower target price, which ultimately means moving out of San Diego (unless things really tumble). But the benefits of not trying up all our income in a house are pretty obvious. We don’t NEED a McMansion, we just need a nice roof over our heads. Take a few more nice vacations that way.
