To think that house buying is the norm in my world?

[Friendly1234]

NC’d for this, I was reading an article this morning about how ppl are finding it hard to get on the property ladder these days and I realized that literally every single one of my friends and family have been buying houses with relative ease for the past 10 years (I’m in my early 30’s!) so from what I can see it’s the norm to buy (and build houses) at around 24-26!! I wouldn’t say my friend have particularly high powered jobs either, most are nurses, teachers and have apprenticeships. A few even work in retail!!

I'm in my early 30s!
It's the norm to buy (and build) houses around 24-26!!
A few even work in retail!

Gosh. I own my own home too. So do the vast majority of my family and friends. But, you know, I wouldn't start a thread about it because I'm not a dick.

Cheap is so dependent on area though. I think 230k for a house of any kind is extortionate, but that's because prices where I am are much lower.

230k here would get out a 4-5 bed detached house with a massive garden, for example. A one bed flat is 30k or less. Terrace go for 60-80k and a semi is around 110k.

I think the house price hysteria is just that, a hysteria.
My cleaner bought a flat in London last year with her husband who is a general labourer.
I bought a house a couple years ago as a single mother on good wage.
I mix with people of all income levels, and while normally there are sacrifices to be made - living in shared accommodation, no holidays for a couple of years etc. - everyone eventually managed to become a homeowner.

It's very frustrating to read all these posts from people in the south saying how they can't possible move to somewhere cheaper as they'd be moving away from family, friends etc. The reason I feel so frustrated is that it was their parents generation that had absolutely no sympathy for people living in the north who were unemployed in the 80's. We were told to get on our bikes and look for work. So my advise to those unable to buy where they are would be to get on your bike and look for a house. You dont have to live in the South East.

What on Earth has the attitude of some in the 80s got to do with anything?

People need to live where they can work, and not everyone can find work everywhere. Our closest friends recently moved from the south coast to York for a job, and bought a flat away from their families. Now they have a baby and are struggling with very little support, no longterm friendships nearby etc. It’s very easy to suggest moving across the country but the realities of that can have a massive impact on mental health and quality of life.

It would be different if people were saying “I refuse to live anywhere other than Hampstead / Sandbanks / (insert local expensive area here)”. But wanting to stay near family and employment options is not being unreasonable.

You don’t live in London do you OP? Don’t know anyone who’s managed before 30 and some people considerably after that. For context where I live a 1 bed flat can be as much as £500k. Quite hard to save up 50grand for a deposit when you’re also paying London rental prices. DH and I managed it in our early 30s after marrying and having both kids in our rented house.

Have a to enjoy with a cup of tea in wherever you are that property is so cheap

I agree with OP.

I bought mine at 23. Most people I know who own a property bought theirs in their 20s.

Someone I work with is only 21. She started with us three years ago doing an apprenticeship. She’s still classed as a junior, but she has saved enough to put down as a deposit on a property, which she’ll be buying this year.

It’s possible with the right support and dedication.

Now they have a baby and are struggling with very little support, no longterm friendships nearby etc. It’s very easy to suggest moving across the country but the realities of that can have a massive impact on mental health and quality of life

A bit dramatic!

Plenty of people move to new places for various reasons, it just takes a little settling in.
We have moved to different parts of the country several times for work, while we had 5 DC. We were never near family, nor did we have long-standing friendships in the places we moved to. We didn’t struggle and it didn’t occur to me to that moving to a new place was a problem. In fact I quite enjoyed it.

Not saying it’s for everyone, but moving area is not necessarily an awful thing.

Have a  to enjoy with a cup of tea in wherever you are that property is so cheap 

Why is there so much bitterness about it? It's like you're pissed off that other people live somewhere different to you and therefore have different lifestyles, costs and choices.

Quite hard to save up 50grand for a deposit when you’re also paying London rental prices.
If both work and are willing to make some sacrifices for a couple years, it is not that hard really.

Sounds like you live in a very small world🤷‍♀️

Yes I owned property without family help at your age, I also owned a business back then too. Yes I had friends in the same position, but it was FAR from the norm when I looked at my wider friendship group. Some are still in insecure rentals & fed up to the back teeth of scraping by to keep a roof over their heads when they are professional high earners, but single with kids to care for & no hope in hell of affording to buy around here or even nearby

I own my own home too. So do the vast majority of my family and friends. But, you know, I wouldn't start a thread about it because I'm not a dick. Why? Is home owning becoming something to be ashamed of?

It's very frustrating to read all these posts from people in the south saying how they can't possible move to somewhere cheaper as they'd be moving away from family, friends etc. The reason I feel so frustrated is that it was their parents generation that had absolutely no sympathy for people living in the north who were unemployed in the 80's. We were told to get on our bikes and look for work. So my advise to those unable to buy where they are would be to get on your bike and look for a house. You dont have to live in the South East.

Okay, now I really don't get this. So you are frustrated, readytoretire, with people who are unable to buy houses now, in 2019, because their parents' generation pissed you off over 30 years ago?

Everyone who can’t afford to buy in the South or other hotspots should buy somewhere else cheaper & become a landlord or even leave it empty if it’s particularly cheap. Good idea?

My friends and I prefer to spend our money on smashed avocado on toast and fancy coffee.

This means we will be renting forever.

And as for Actually anyone CAN do it. If you don't want to live in the most desirable and expensive area and can restrict your outgoings whilst you save for a deposit.

No, actually, not anyone can.

DH and I for example. We're certainly not living in the most desirable and expensive area. Not in a major city, though we are in commutable distance of one. We need to be, as that's where all the jobs in my line of work are. When we first moved in together we were renting and saving towards a deposit towards a house. We could afford to do so, life was great. Then DH suffered a serious head injury and was off work for over a year. Shortly after he was back on his feet and back working, my Grandad became ill. Moving to a cheaper area wasn't possible as I needed to assist in caring for him. After he died, my Grandmother's health began to deteriorate, and again, I had to stay nearby to assist in her care. After Nan died we began once again looking towards saving, and considering moving to somewhere more affordable to us. Though I'd have preferred to stay put, as my Mum really needed my emotional support after Nan died. But I was willing to travel to be there when she needed me, if it enabled us to buy a house. Then my health went to shite. Many hospital admissions, signed off work, not allowed to drive due to seizures. The loss of my income totally fucked up our plans.

So no, not anyone can do it. Sometimes shit happens to us that wrecks our ever so carefully made plans.

And before anyone says it, I'm not even a touch jealous or bitter. When my friends have bought houses (some with parental help, some without), I've been genuinely delighted for them. But I just need to point out that not everyone is in a position to buy, and it's often absolutely not due to prioritising holidays/avocados/spending 100 quid on a night out every week.

Apologies for the epic post. In response to the actual OP, well, no, YANBU to think that house buying is the norm in your world. If it's what everyone that you know has done, then of course it's the norm. Why would you need to even ask?

I just don’t understand all the hand wringing about family / support networks? I moved to London when I was 24 for a really good job and then I moved to Sydney for an even better one. I could have stayed in the small town where I grew up but if I had done so my career and financial prospects would have been considerably poorer and I wouldn’t be in the (comfortable) position I am now. I knew no one in either city when I moved, it really wasn’t a big deal?

If you say ‘I’d rather be near my mum than buy a house’ that’s totally cool but just own it and say so.

A single parent or a disabled person might need their support network, of course.

I've never really thought about it before, but on reflection, yes. Most of my friends (like me) grew up in social housing, but all now have bought their own. I guess it's partly that the gap between social housing (of which most people aren't eligible for) and buying is expensive renting, and 'paying someone else's mortgage' (landlords I know that's not always true, but it's how a lot of people have spoken about feeling); which isnt appealing. A few had parental help, all have bought with someone else. For me personally my parents couldn't afford to put anything towards it, but I worked shift work for a few years for the unsociable hours premium, and during this time saved saved saved. Others have done the same, many have been the first in their families to go to uni and save for a house, so hopefully it's becoming more accessible? I don't know.

What? My DP and I are in our twenties and couldn't afford property if we tried. Do you think the scores of young people struggling to get on the property ladder are making it up?

It just means you have a restricted social circle. Working abroad for a year tax free is not a choice many in poverty ever get to make. In most areas rent is extortionate & salaries are low. Very few would be able to have a year without paying tax like yourself. And many on the ladder at a young age have had help in one way or another.

This varies a lot depending on area. I’m 30 and most people I grew up with own their home but house prices aren’t crazy here (our first house was a 2 bed semi that we bought for £118k). If we had moved to DH’s hometown in the south of England though, I doubt we would have been able to buy.

Some of you from expensive areas are being quite rude. I get you are frustrated with the prices down south, who wouldn't, but that's not a valid reason for cookies and name calling.

And yes @CuriousaboutSamphire. You can't say anything positive about your life when you get something others don't...

Op simply talks about her experience, which is similar to mine. 99% of my close friends own. Even a waitress on just above NMW. Because we are in a cheaper area.
It's not OP's little bubble. That bubble is actually quite big. And people being rude just because they are in their own bubble of massive prices, is just unnecessary. It's like we should be putting which are we are talking about at the beginning of each post. NW, SE, Lon, NE etc.

And I agree with many other pp. Lots of people, not all, could buy if they really wanted to. Talking about the cheaper areas especially. But than it's a compromise on postcode or size or how much work needs to be done or something else. Lots of people just want that perfect forever house right away. I am not saying everyone. But lots do.

@Friendly1234

Most of the houses bought by friends varied from 160 to 250ish. Our first home was £230. So not cheap.
I bought a tiny I've bed flat ten years ago for £145k sold it five years later for a £50k profit, it recently went on the market for £225k. I don't live in London. To me those prices are very cheap for houses.

One bed

You don’t live in London do you OP?

Stop the press, an OP starts a thread about a part of the country that isn’t London.

It is ok you know. Why is the OP unreasonable for having a different experience?

Also where prices are so high in the SE & the associated stamp duty you really don’t want to be moving lots of times as it’s not cost effective.