By What Age Should Someone Own/Have Bought a House?

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tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
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Why on earth would I have any interest in "trumping" you? This is a forum thread, not a contest.

Even if it was a contest, I would walk away. Conspiracy theorists elevate confirmation bias to such heights that a mere mortal such as I could never hope to break through with simple common sense.
Is the current flow of conversation about Trump? Gotta check my cards that I'm holding.

"Gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em..."

OK, I call. Whatya got?
 

Tall_Timbers

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Mar 31, 2023
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I purchased my first home when I was about 32 years old. I sold that at some point and didn't own another home until I was 46. That time I'd purchased some acreage and had a custom home built on the land. I kept it for about 21 years and then sold that after buying another home in another state.

I don't think it matters whether or not a person ever owns a home. If it's in a person's best interests then go for it. If not, then don't. There are benefits to owning and there are benefits to leasing/renting.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
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I purchased my first home when I was about 32 years old. I sold that at some point and didn't own another home until I was 46. That time I'd purchased some acreage and had a custom home built on the land. I kept it for about 21 years and then sold that after buying another home in another state.

I don't think it matters whether or not a person ever owns a home. If it's in a person's best interests then go for it. If not, then don't. There are benefits to owning and there are benefits to leasing/renting.
Howdy and welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately "live and let live" is not nearly as entertaining as "my decision is best for everyone and you are a hopeless idiot if you choose anything else." Sorry but entertainment trumps all yet again. :oops::devilish:
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,550
17,022
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Tennessee
I purchased my first home when I was about 32 years old. I sold that at some point and didn't own another home until I was 46. That time I'd purchased some acreage and had a custom home built on the land. I kept it for about 21 years and then sold that after buying another home in another state.

I don't think it matters whether or not a person ever owns a home. If it's in a person's best interests then go for it. If not, then don't. There are benefits to owning and there are benefits to leasing/renting.
I became a first-time homeowner myself at the age of 65. Glad to have you onboard with us. Welcome to CC.
 

zeroturbulence

Senior Member
Aug 2, 2009
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Thank you for bringing this up, Zero.

This is a major reason as to why I'm reluctant to buy a house in my current location, let alone a fleet of rentals. It brings up another good topic -- how normal should debt be, and how much debt should be considered normal?

I know debt is impossible to avoid, but I've finally got to a point where I don't have any student loans or car payments left. I understand the point of buying a home and building equity, but I also see it as legally agreeing to allow a bank to put a giant noose around my neck. And the more properties I would try to buy (even if I had the money to do so, lol,) would just be all the more nooses I would be piling on.

And what is becoming of all the landlords now in the aftermath of covid, when the government said it was ok for people to not pay their rent? I'm not trying to be insensitive to anyone who lost their job and couldn't pay, but there's always a trickle-down effect. The landlords rely on that income for their own livelihood as well, so what happens when it comes to a screeching halt? I sure wouldn't want to own, say, 5 rentals and then not have anyone paying anything on any of them for even one month, let alone an extended amount of time.

Even the Bible says the the borrower is servant to the lender. Right now, I'm not a slave to any bank or institution, and it's a good feeling. I don't have to worry about anyone coming and taking something away from me because I missed the payments. The costs I would otherwise spend on a house (taxes, HOA, landscaping, maintenance) all go into investing for the future instead.

I know it sounds crazy, but now that I've experienced something different, I even hate the psychological burden alone of being in debt.

As has been mentioned before, I really do think the rent vs. own debate is highly individual. I'm in a situation right now where I like knowing that I can literally be there for friends and family in a relatively short amount of time. I don't have to worry about how long it will take for a house to sell.

My situation has been very fluid over the past several years, and I've come to rely on the flexibility when family members had surgery or other issues where they needed me to move to be with them. Perhaps it's one of the reason God has kept me single.

Funny thing -- none of us who have answered this thread have attempted to answer the original question of what age a person should be looking at buying or owning a home. But I appreciate the discussions we have going, as I think it's been very informative for most everyone.

One of the reasons I've been open about stating my own position is because I want other singles to know it's ok to be in a different position or of a different mindset than everyone else around them. Buying and maintaining a home is a lot harder when it's just one person doing it.

Not all of us might be cut from a potential home-owning cloth, and that's ok.

After all, God has individual callings and directions for each of us.
One thing many people don't realize is that if your home gets foreclosed, the bank sells it at auction and after it sells, you get back however much you had already paid into the loan, or how much the auction sale was, whichever is less.

Also, I remember the government was giving relief money for businesses and landlords during the lockdowns with their "American Rescue Plan" but I remember some saying it wasn't enough (of course it wasn't).
 

Lanolin

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Dec 15, 2018
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Margaret Atwood wrote an entire lecture series/essay/book about debt. It was called Payback

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Lanolin

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I read it a few years ago now but it asks some of the same questions, like is it normal to have debt.

For Americans (not sure about Canadians, although they are NORTH americans) they are always saying how much trillions and billions they are in debt. They appear wealthy, but actually, its all just for show because everything has to be paid back eventually.

In nz, we are in so much debt with infrastructure and eveything that nobody can afford to have what we have, that debt is going to pass to the next generation, who will need to pay for what this ones couldnt afford.
Things like roads, public transport, and decent housing. The govt borrows money from the world bank who keep entire countries indebted. If we lose our workforce, we cant keep up with the payments, our country will go bankrupt. we have to get immigrants in...its all bit of a merry go round. Who controls it all runs the world. as they say. Money makes the world go round, and the love of money is the root of all evil.

its not just individuals in debt, its entire nations.
 

Kireina

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Aug 26, 2020
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I knew a kid in High School...his grandparents left him a plot of land. (They were farmers) Since he worked part time at a building supply he had access to materials....and when he graduated high school he owned his own house and pickup truck outright....no mortgage. He went on to university....can't remember what he studied as I left the area for my university studies.

I remember the pictures....he never showed us pics of the inside....but I can imagine. He was a guy....a bachelor. Women tend to decorate better. For us guys, a pool table, video game center that doubles for watching games and a mattress in the corner are usually the highlights of a bachelor pad.
Smart young man I don't know anyone thinking the same as him extremely rare 😮
 

JohnDB

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Jan 16, 2021
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Smart young man I don't know anyone thinking the same as him extremely rare 😮
This was Idaho....
And in Idaho at the time (35 years ago) we had a very strong farming community and mindset. Also a few gold miners. Also an air force base not too far away that serviced mmx missiles and some jets that went up to Alaska to spy on the Soviets and China.

A significant portion of our high school dropped out after their sophomore year....they had finished all the AG classes and FFA there was....no need for the rest as they were going to farm for the rest of their lives or sell the farm and equipment and retire as multi millionaires.

The "new kids on the block" were Hewlett Packard and then Micron. HP made hard drives and Micron made memory chips. Two high tech companies in the middle of nowhere. They attracted people out of California....who figured out quick to assimilate or be ostracized.
 

Lanolin

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Dec 15, 2018
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If you already have land (ie your family are farmers) you dont need to worry about acquiring any. Though its more you worry about losing it.
 

Lanolin

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Todays tech world if theres a silicon valley near you and you have the skills you move there and they may pay you well enough to be able to afford to live there.

At first it will be in the middle of nowhere but if its a company town, and its doing well it will grow. You cant really buy into towns that are already established unless you know people that have moved out or died. Thats just the way it is. Why do people assume it will be any different. The war years upeneded everything so people HAD to start from scratch, and were GIVEN homes cos they had NOTHING.
 

Lanolin

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if you look back in history there were plans in other countries too, like the MarshalL Plan for Germany. In NZ we had the Welfare state which provided decent houses. Well, land, not so much houses that were mostly bare shells but at least they were solidly built.

However we had to have roads, which are also precarious. They were build during the war years by relief workers. Railroads were needed but we didnt have enough money, as always the govt runs on a shoestring. If you live in a capital city you would get the lions share of funds. All those politicians need homes lol

I was reading about the White House how it has a team of florists just for the White House. Only one family is meant to stay in it at a time but that family must have at least a hundred servants to run it. And they have to make it bulletproof.
 

Lanolin

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google search Current admin has 411 staff.
 
W

WMarkB

Guest
I feel like Dave Ramsey would answer “18 and paid for in cash” 😑
 

JohnDB

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Jan 16, 2021
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I feel like Dave Ramsey would answer “18 and paid for in cash” 😑
Living in Nashville I had the misfortune of meeting him and having to deal with him. On the radio and books he seems like such a nice guy....IRL he is obnoxious and self absorbed. (It IS all about him....According to him)

His "special" advice is the exact same stuff I learned in business school...but just repackaged and sold for high dollars.
 
W

WMarkB

Guest
Living in Nashville I had the misfortune of meeting him and having to deal with him. On the radio and books he seems like such a nice guy....IRL he is obnoxious and self absorbed. (It IS all about him....According to him)

His "special" advice is the exact same stuff I learned in business school...but just repackaged and sold for high dollars.
That’s unfortunate
 

Noel25

Active member
Dec 17, 2022
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Living in Nashville I had the misfortune of meeting him and having to deal with him. On the radio and books he seems like such a nice guy....IRL he is obnoxious and self absorbed. (It IS all about him....According to him)

His "special" advice is the exact same stuff I learned in business school...but just repackaged and sold for high dollars.
Actually, if you view his videos long enough, he doesn't seem like a kind man to begin with. He will often cut people off from talking and just speak over them. He is also very out of touch...still telling single moms to sell their SUV for a '$1,000 car.' :ROFL:
I liked him and still do to a point...but the man needs to get with the times. There are no $1,000 cars...at least not ones that turn on!
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
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Actually, if you view his videos long enough, he doesn't seem like a kind man to begin with. He will often cut people off from talking and just speak over them. He is also very out of touch...still telling single moms to sell their SUV for a '$1,000 car.' :ROFL:
I liked him and still do to a point...but the man needs to get with the times. There are no $1,000 cars...at least not ones that turn on!
A lot of his advice is sound...just because I don't like him doesn't mean that he isn't right a lot of the time.
You are right that there are no $1,000 that run. Emissions standards are not going to pass on a $1,000 car. I get $800 for a wrecked car. (Free towing included)

He is out of touch with how much things cost anymore....especially in Nashville. But his basic principles are correct because he quotes scriptures.

Pay cash for things that depreciate and borrow for things that appreciate (go up in value) but at interest rates that are lower than they go up.