How did everyone end up where there at?

What are some things you guys SETTLE on. Right now the must haves are garage, basement, yard that is big enough to stop drop and roll, decent kitchen (girlfriend and I love to cook).

Depends what 70k buys in your area. Here you couldn't buy crap for that money. He'll I sold my lil 2 bedroom house no basement, no garage and a 50x100 lot for 130k a few years ago. I settled with no garage because it's what I could afford at the time $62,000. But the house I had to do nothing to but move in and some painting to my taste. All I did was add a shed in the yard , did some changes to the landscape and put $1000 into the bathroom and that was it. Doubled my money in about 7 years on it. Yes at times it sucked not having a garage but it's what I could afford at the time . No regrets. The house was very good to me