I don’t doubt that there are lessons to learn from the SPE, but it’s also worth noting that it’s been widely criticized for various biases and influences and lack of controls, and that no other researchers have ever been able to replicate its findings. Some might call it debunked, others perhaps not, but I think it’s fair to say it isn’t generally accepted as gospel.

This story is inspiring. I feel like there are a lot of people who wouldn’t feel like it’s within reach (no building/renovating skills or experience, or certain neighborhoods that maybe don’t feel safe to a single woman for instance, and yeah schools as you mentioned if you’re a parent or planning to be)—but for the people who can do that, it sounds like an absolutely phenomenal route to take.

I was struggling to find the right way to phrase the question, and I failed. I guess what I really wanted to know was: for a typical working class person, is a house at that price within reach? Or if you move there for the cheap houses and get a job, do you end up still barely able to afford the payments?

How’s the job market?