I hear all the time about this time it's different. I heard it when I was young, too. In the early 80's, if you invested $1,000 in Boeing stock it'd be worth $60,000 today.
I.e. you don't have to live a Spartan lifestyle to have an investment program, nor do you have to be unusually lucky, or any of that. Just underspend your income by 10 or 20%, and invest the rest in ordinary, boring investments.
But I'm saying, that's not true in some places. There are many geographical regions (even countries) where median local wages cannot buy the median real estate - historic ratios are totally distorted.
I.e. you don't have to live a Spartan lifestyle to have an investment program, nor do you have to be unusually lucky, or any of that. Just underspend your income by 10 or 20%, and invest the rest in ordinary, boring investments.