You are underpaid. You should look for other jobs to fix that. Also, at 150k you should be able to afford a place that is 500k or more. I bought my first place when I was making 115 and it cost 400k with much higher interest rates than today. Those are just facts, and it’s a fact that the average tech salary is sufficient to buy a place in Seattle.
Privilege? I grew up very poor, no one in my immediate family has finished high school, let alone college. I enlisted in the army and did a tour in a war to pay for my college. I was in a similar boat to you and the others complaining when I was early in my career and I’m trying to help with some perspective and experience.
You can complain about the cost of housing, complain about whatever privilege you think I have, but it won’t help you get to a better place. I’m offering advice to help get you all to a better place because I faced the same challenges and overcame them.
I make over 1.5x the median income in King County. Further, my company makes an effort to operate on the 50th percentile in engineering companies for our positions, so LOTS of people are "underpaid" according to you.
And I can afford a 500k place. I cannot afford the down payment and the surprise assessment tax, etc.
I see a lot of tech salaries. I assure you that you are not being paid at the 50th percentile. If your company is telling you that then they are lying to you.
It’s also clear that you don’t really want to be helped, and that you want to find every excuse to play the victim. I wish you luck.
Privilege? I grew up very poor, no one in my immediate family has finished high school, let alone college. I enlisted in the army and did a tour in a war to pay for my college. I was in a similar boat to you and the others complaining when I was early in my career and I’m trying to help with some perspective and experience.
You can complain about the cost of housing, complain about whatever privilege you think I have, but it won’t help you get to a better place. I’m offering advice to help get you all to a better place because I faced the same challenges and overcame them.