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Original poster

At what age did you buy your first home?

335 replies

GrapefruitGin · 31/07/2019 10:02

And did you buy a home before or after kids?
How much ‘help’ did you get or did you raise a deposit alone?
I’m 29, no dc and renting, curiously wondering if I’m one of many or am I unusual!?

OP posts:
Gazelda · 31/07/2019 10:43

19, with (then) DP who was 22.
Couldn't afford to live in town we work, so FIL loaned us extra £10k which we repaid with interest.
1986. Couldn't afford afford car, hoover or phone line but I'm grateful that we were able to get on the property ladder.
We then divorced but had built some equity so I was able to buy a place on my own with a mortgage. I had to work 2 jobs for several years but no regrets.

Alarae · 31/07/2019 10:45

At 22 with DH, borrowed most of the deposit off FIL and supplemented with about 6k of our own.

We pay him back £500 per month, however still have another 8 years to go (SE house prices- borrowed enough to go in at 80% LTV for lower rates).

Alarae · 31/07/2019 10:45

Forgot to say this was before kids. No way we were able to buy the house we have with childcare costs due to affordability.

AxCap · 31/07/2019 10:48

22 with now DH, before kids. 5% deposit and we'd saved half each at uni (both stayed at home for uni).

beachcomber70 · 31/07/2019 10:48

19, jointly with my husband who was 21. Before we had children.

beachcomber70 · 31/07/2019 10:50

We'd saved our deposit ourselves, adding to some savings which my mother put in the building society when I was a child.

ukgift2016 · 31/07/2019 10:51

Hoping to buy my first home at the age of 31.

I am 29 at the moment.

Youmadorwhat · 31/07/2019 10:51

24 bought outright with cash earned abroad.that was 10 years ago pre kids

TokenGinger · 31/07/2019 10:51

Age 24, five years ago. I didn't need any help.

I'm in the Manchester. House prices are significantly cheaper than down south.

My house was £83k (need some renovation), and I got it on a 5% deposit deal so only had to pay £4,150 deposit. I had £8k saved up which covered legal fees, the cost of a new kitchen (basic from Ikea, fitted for free by family) and my furniture (a lot second hand which has gradually been replaced).

mamalovebird · 31/07/2019 10:55
  1. 1k deposit. Back in 1997. One bed flat for £43k and our combined income was £21k.
Sundancer77 · 31/07/2019 10:55

31 pre children, bank gave almost full mortgage with a loan to make up the rest (didn’t need/have a deposit) wish I would’ve done it years earlier!

Sundancer77 · 31/07/2019 10:56

This was 10 years ago almost.

SpreadsheetQueen · 31/07/2019 11:02

I was 18, but that was in the 90s. Deposit from parents and mortgage affordable on my own.

Jins · 31/07/2019 11:04
  1. Interest rates were in double figures and every time we got close to having a deposit the housing market jumped upwards. Honestly thought we’d never be in a position to buy
MiniMum97 · 31/07/2019 11:04

About 27/28

Spidey66 · 31/07/2019 11:13

29, in 1995
3k given to me by my mum which came from my dad's estate, he'd died a few months earlier.
We'd got married a year before and lots of people had given us money (we didn't ask for it) and this went into the pot and we also saved a fair bit ourselves.
No kids, mortgage now cleared.

katewhinesalot · 31/07/2019 11:15

22
100% mortgage
Needed a lodger for a few years

aurynne · 31/07/2019 11:18

33 y.o, no children, no help from family. My back then DP (now DH) and I bought it together. I had a good chunk of savings and DP had the proceedings of the sale of the house he had owned with his Ex-DW, so we could pay a big deposit up front.

luckygreeneyes · 31/07/2019 11:19

28, no help

margaritaontherocks · 31/07/2019 11:20

32 with a 5% deposit.

Most people I know who are my age are only just on the ladder or still not quite there.

We have a very good household income on paper and still struggled. I honestly don't understand how anyone on an "average" or lower than average income, can ever afford to save for a deposit.

origamiunicorn · 31/07/2019 11:22

I was 32 and we saved half ourselves the other half came from our parents. No kids. Bought 3 bed in 2016. The deposit was £12,000 (3 bed semi in Dorset) and we also had solicitors and "extras" in the house added so total cost was a few grand on top of that.

origamiunicorn · 31/07/2019 11:23

Solicitors fees*

user1471548941 · 31/07/2019 11:28

At 24 I bought with a partner. He had a hefty deposit saved but I had just got a much higher salary so it was a joint effort as I took on more of the mortgage.

We didn’t last 6 months in the house due to relationship breakdown but I decided to scrabble around to find £20k to buy him out. Saved most of it in 18 months by moving back to parents and scrimping, have borrowed an additional £5k from them and will complete on buying him out this week, age 26.

It’s been a struggle and due to SE house prices, is a tiny one bed but I absolutely love it and it is my sanctuary! Now just to save up another £8k to do all the essential work it needs....

Frazzled2207 · 31/07/2019 11:30

27ish. Yes had help from parents. I am an OC which no doubt helps.

At 32 bought jointly with (now) dh, I didn't have anything as lost all of my previous deposit through property Crash after buying above Sad however HIS family helped us buy our house.

We are up north where houses are not that expensive. Husband is a high earner too. Without family help we would have eventually got there but we would have been late thirties I reckon.

BillyAndTheSillies · 31/07/2019 11:30

23 in 2011 with now DH. A tiny flat with a really short lease. 10% deposit, DH's share came from ISA's. Mine came from my parents on the proviso I paid it back, which I did.