If the extra $200/month means you can’t afford it, you probably shouldn’t be buying a house…

Yeah that sounds cruel and messed up, because it is. I don’t like how expensive real estate is and I wish we could have another 2008 without a bailout. But the point stands. If you hafta pick between eating and paying your mortgage, you made a bad financial decision. Blame whoever you want, I am of the opinion that people still have agency and are responsible for their decisions, as unpopular as that seems to be these days.

I don’t know about the US, but in my country the loan for mortgage is tied to your income.

So you could afford 200/month more, but they won’t lend it to you if your max mortgage is 300 and not 350.

These are midrange. Most of the homes in those areas are around $225k.

You'd be surprised how much house and land you can get for that price.