[calex59]

In 1952 my mother and my step father bought a 3/2/1 on 2.5 acres(in CA)for $4500. I don’t know what the payments were but they were to the former owner, not a bank and they paid it off early. The house was built by the former owner and it was build way above the code standards of the day or even today as far as that goes. The house is still standing and housing my step sisters grand children.

[Windflier]

In 1952 my mother and my step father bought a 3/2/1 on 2.5 acres(in CA)for $4500. I don’t know what the payments were but they were to the former owner, not a bank and they paid it off early.

My grandfather bought his first home in Los Angeles around the same time, and burned the mortgage in less than ten years.

I'm pretty sure he paid about what your mom and step dad did. The man worked a whole lot of extra jobs to do it, but it was a different day, when such a thing was possible for a working guy to do.