How Did TV Characters Afford Those Houses?

There was a website a few years back that had blueprint and layouts of TV shows' houses.

It included those like the "Laverne and Shirley" Milwaukee apartment and "The Brady Bunch" house (which is impossible because the outside shot of the house doesn't match with the way the show set the house up).

But more importantly: How did they afford those awesome houses?

Originally, "15 Sitcom Characters Who Might Be Broke In the Real World" was an infographic on Movoto.  The people at Yahoo then broke it down in writing...

The story compares the salaries and the amount of rent TV stars pay.

'Friends' Rachel and Monica's income is $9,300 and their rent is $5,000, so their percentage of income is 54 percent. Consensus says no way!"

Now, I don't think the actual rent was $5,000 because of Monica's grandma's rent control. (Chandler mentions that very fact in the final episode.) But you get the idea.