I agree they have done well for themselves, but all in all, financially speaking, they could not keep that lifestyle in other parts of the US. Such as CA. In the bay area $500,000 is a very, very modest home. Most modern townhomes can sell close to that. I guess what i am saying is they were far from rich. Suprising seeing all the publicity they used to get.
You're being polite, so I won't say "no shit"
, but if you're talking about NoCal or SoCal, then you're talking about numbers that are considered "ridiculous" by the average American. It's an honest perspective (because you live there), but it's not a normal perspective, when you look at median home prices across the U.S. You guys actually have townhomes selling in the $800,000+ range on a regular basis, which we're starting to get down here in LA, too. But those prices are unique to America's great cities, plus California - SF, LA, San Diego, Chicago, NYC, Boston, Philly, and DC. Seattle is starting to get high, but still nothing like the others. Miami is on that level, too. Go to Portland, Dallas, Houston, St Louis, Charlotte, Atlanta, Phoenix, Vegas, however, and the numbers are completely different.
I recently looked at a little 3-BR, 2-BA, 1300 sf starter (built in 1978) out here in Ventura County. The seller is determined to get $605,000 for it and $550,000 was out of the question. By contrast, when I was home shopping in Raleigh (NC) back in November, and found a newly-built, 4700 sf dream for just over $500,000 all closing costs included.
I don't know what Craig & Kelly's rental properties are like, but the fact that they were working on building equity in 5 (or possibly more) homes says a lot about them. They could've continued living comfortably in Vegas or they could've cashed out and moved to a small town in middle America and lived like royalty. All other issues aside, I give them credit for buying their home and some rental properties.