You may need to look at your wants and needs, with a 54K salary you should be able to make the payments on that and be comfortable. my first house 6yrs ago i made 29K and could afford 120K house. now i am at 54K and live in a 350K house with no problem. time to look at output vs. input and own up to your financial responsibility. we are ALL not in financial hardtimes as one person stated. adjust your necessities and wants accordingly.