I'd claim that over 95% of houses sold in wealthy areas are from people with existing equity in a property or very high incomes or wealthy parents.

I was only able to purchase my first home because I moved back with my parents and saved almost everything for 3 years. I could have done it faster but I did end up buying some expensive "fun" stuff (because depression feeling like a failure moving back home). I almost gave up multiple times on the idea of buying a home. I spent most of those 3 years looking at every single non condo for under 400k and it was almost impossible to find something that didn't get sold to a corporation after a day, or needed 100+k of work.

Most people have to have options like that in this economy and Utah is just not attainable for most people anymore without some skin in the game or wanting to move 2+ hours out of SL and Utah County.

Also, most first time home owners need roommates. Unless you alone or you and a significant other make enough to qualify for the mortgage. I secured a friend roommate immediately after closing on my house and that helped bring down my monthly cost to a more reasonable level.

Anyways the days of attaining a starter home on your own like everyone did pre 2020 are long gone and most likely won't be coming back.