(Strip Number 5165, Original Publication Date, 31 July 1989)
Panel 1: As he and Michael take the dishes out of the dishwasher, Phil tells the assembled crowd that the housing market has changed so much. He then hints at
Panel 2: When he tells Mike that he's lucky to have such a great house, an astonished Mike wonders what's so great about it in an exasperated tone of voice. This is because he envies other, nicer houses and also is sickened that Phil turned into an old fogey killing happiness by using the moon man word "mortgage" to justify not buying nice things.
Panel 3: When he says that it doesn't have a sauna or indoor pool before asking what kind of great house lacks those great things, he attracts the attention of Elly.
Panel 4: Since she's hazy on the concept of his being a thirteen year old boy who doesn't understand how volatile the housing market is, she gets all condescending when she says "One that's paid for!!"
Summary: The target audience probably reacted by saying "Yeah, MICHAEL!!!" as if it's his fault he's a kid who doesn't understand what it's like to live from paycheck to paycheck worrying about if you can afford the place you live in. This naiveté as regards what things cost is, sadly, seen as proof of malice and hatred by petty nitwits who waste their lives on panic and self-absorption.
Also, it's kind of hilarious that Elly is the one to say this given her tendency to not make money an object when rearranging her house to suit her needs. One would assume given what has come before and what is to come, the man complaining that Mike will end up inheriting his parents' renovation-related debts would be the one to say this.