Middle-class families should never lose two things at any time: liquidity and the right to exit.

When housing prices rise, impulsively take on high leverage to buy a house, pre-spending several years of future family income, seemingly owning an asset, but in fact completely losing liquidity;
All of life's energy is spent betting on one job or one thing, earning money only to indulge in overspending, compare and enjoy, without planning side businesses or passive income, all spent on consumption such as sending children to international schools, comparing luxury goods with others, and once work stops, there is no income source, which is called having no "right to exit."
To preserve liquidity, you need to reduce leverage and keep assets lightweight;
To have the right to exit, you need to deepen passive income, learn to control desires, and not be hijacked by consumerism.