And how are those who are not saving, affording to put down money for down payment and closing costs?

Saving for retirement doesn’t necessarily mean 401k but you can borrow from your 401k for down payment assistance so you really should be saving for your eventual retirement from day 1.

I meant for rent, and in aggregate.

Only if you bid on the same houses. Bid on a smaller house.

Don't forget too that inflation works for you! If you save and get in a nice house early and the STAY THERE (I can't emphasize enough how important this is - sometimes life forces you to move, but avoid it), your payments measured against inflation will go down - just put that difference into a 401k (that is don't do a cash out refinance along the way as so many do) and in 30 years the house is paid off and your have a great retirement account.

When you are in the early years the above plan looks impossible, but time is your friend.

Right, I am fortunate enough to be a homeowner but you do understand that telling a 30 year old with 4 roommates to “bid on a smaller house” is a bit tonedeaf, do you not?

Only to those who refuse to hear it. They will continue to ignore the advice while those who hear it put it into practice and when you’re both 50, they will have their house, a retirement account. While you’ll be bidding on your starter home.

"Why yes I know you're already scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to housing, but have you thought about finding something even worse?"

In all honesty, when was the last time you tried to rent a place to live? My brother makes decent money in his mid-20's and _still_ wound up living out of his car for a couple months when his attempt to find something cheaper backfired.

Yesterday actually. Don’t assume you know someone’s position simply because they give you advice you don’t want to hear. I lived in my car for 6 months. I’ve been through tough times, homelessness, home ownership, all of it. Currently I spent the last 9 months trying to find a new place to live.

Plans fail. Have backup plans. Attempting to min max has disadvantages too. My advice has always come from experience and never “this is what they say you should do”. I would not be so presumptuous.