I can’t afford a down payment. You can’t buy a decent house in Cali for less than a mil. I get it. Paying rent sucks (with the advantage of not having to pay your repairs). But I can’t afford a house at this point. Just can’t afford to save enough money. So although I know it’s more optimal, I’m okay with paying rent in the current market. I just can’t deal with the constant increases.

I think you get my point though. Paying rent is not optimal, but a person with a decent job should be able to afford it. While I don’t disagree with what you’re trying to say, I don’t think it’s hard to understand what I’m getting at either.