He's saying that half a million is too much for a merely 'nice' home.
But this is just a linguistic conceit on the part of home buyers.
There are mansions (homes that you can't afford), nice homes (homes that you can afford, and are in good condition/areas), and there are slums (homes you can afford, and in bad conditions/areas).
No one wants to live in a slum. No one can afford a mansion. So a 'nice' home is the only realistic choice.
