Most people don't have the discipline for pattern. It takes lots of practice and careful setup and maintenance of your equipment but it is completely addicting.

As Jack and Excap have said with small volumes come greater costs. Part of the cost is the precision required in building a Focus is about 2m and will be about 10 1/2 lbs. Similiar sized sport plane on glow would be around 12lbs. The wings one my Focus are within a 1/10 of an oz of each other and the elevators are within a 1/16 of each other in size. Compare this to the sport ARFs you are seeing and the cost starts to make sense.

Most kits are about $400 for a Glass fuse and foam wing and stab cores. Getting these framed up perfectly straight and light from a pro builder add another $1200. Consider 3 guys finished at least top ten with the Focus at last years nats it is cheap.
Spend your money on what you enjoy and have fun.

Anthony