many routes available –
few round our way earn exactly(ish) what we do, but, that big old 5 bed detached house is bought on a shared ownership mortgage with them paying interest only, proper knife edge live for today spending
inherited land and houses and farm, also somewhat common (its farming country round here), farmers get to build their own place with less restrictions
a few were individual house owners before marriage from exactly the right time in the property market – sold up and pooled resources and bought a single big house
others are exec band earners
others have two decent incomes, so about double our resource
a few more “do property renovation” and have done since when it was easy to get into pre- house price boom, so their savings are all sunk into the latest project which they’re living in
or maybe, have little savings, everything but everything goes on the house, downsize at retirement “the house is the pension”, but all the time and money and effort is going on keeping the place maintained on a shoestring