When we were making 2400/month up here we were still in an apartment. That's not a lot of dough in the D.C area. In fact, it's pretty low.
They must have taken advantage of "relaxed" income requirements.
$2400/mo is good money no matter where you live - true, you can't afford a 3000 sqft house, but $2400/mo is nothing to sneeze at.
Very relaxed.....almost comatose. I remember pre-qualifying prior to home shopping. I was told what kind of mortgage I could afford at the upper limits. While my income could have covered the total, I wouldn't have anything left for the "little things" like food, heat, or gas to get back and forth to work. Why impose that kind of stress upon yourself?