Buying a house at a young age and how to buy a house at a young age is a topic I am often asked. Whether you are planning on buying a house at 18, buying a house at 19, buying a house at 21, or any other age, it is a big deal.
We bought a house at the age of 20 – there I said it. Most people think we are crazy and either think the house is something dumpy, that someone in my family pays for it, or that I’m lying (yes, I’ve been told that). I am often asked how I bought a house so young and what I learned from it.
I am especially asked a lot of questions now about what I learned from it since a lot of my friends are buying their first homes right now.
So, I’ll start off with a little background: Why did we buy our house at the age of 20? I was still in college, and we both didn’t have the greatest jobs. However, we were both working full-time and made slightly enough money. There are sooo many things to learn and know about before you buy a house.
We started living together straight out of high school (yes, I know I will be judged by some for this, but oh well, I am happy 🙂 ) and had lived together for a little over 2 years when we finally started looking at houses.
Now, why were we in a rush to buy a house? Well, we were really outgrowing the house that we were renting. The rent was super cheap since we were renting it from one of Wes’ relatives.
The house wasn’t bad and there was a huge backyard for our dog (we had just one at the time, but now we have two). However, the house was super small (there was no legitimate bedroom, our bed was in the basement) and then of course our neighbor turned out to be a psychopath.
Long story short, we moved just in time. Sadly, the person who rented the house after us ended up being murdered by the psychopath (our old landlord is Wes’ cousin, and he told us this). Probably too much information to put on the blog so I won’t say too much more. I will just say that we moved out at the perfect time.
We left the rental house as soon as we could because things were getting out of hand with the neighbor. We moved in with Wes’ brother and sister-in-law. We couldn’t live with them for too long, though, mainly because they had two kids (they have three now), and we had a dog with us! We just wanted to find a house quickly, and moving into an apartment and signing a lease didn’t seem worth it.
We gave his brother and his wife a couple hundred in rent, so we weren’t freeloading (we lived in the basement bedroom).
So there we were, on the hunt for a house. We knew we didn’t want to rent anymore, and at the time we kept being told that the housing market had bottomed and that prices would never be this cheap (oh boy they were wrong!). So, we found great deals on houses and there were a lot that we loved.
We found a house. It was a little above our budget, but still well below what we were approved for.
How to buy a house in your 20s.
Should you buy a house in your early 20s?
Not everyone is the same, but if you are interested in buying a house in your 20s, it is possible.
In fact, many of my friends bought their first house in their 20s as well.
Granted, we did live in a more affordable area (the midwest), so it was easier there.
I recommend reading Home Buying Tips You Need To Know Before You Buy so that you can be more informed with your first home purchase.
What is the best age to buy a house?
I don’t know if there’s a best age to buy a house – it all depends on you and your individual circumstances.
Related: What is the fastest way to save for a house?
Should you buy a cheap house first?
Some say that your first house should be a “starter home” but again, I think this is different for each person. Your whole life can change in just a year, so it’s hard to decide from Day 1 that you will be moving into a bigger house in a few years.
You may end up living in your “starter home” your whole life!
Is it smart to buy a house in your 20s?
Just like with any age, it can be smart of dumb, haha. You’ll simply want to be smart with your decision and all of the factors that go along with your decision (such as, can you afford the house!?).
Here’s what I would have changed with our home purchase and how to buy a house in your 20s:
1. The timing of buying a house young.
Even though everything worked out great for us, I’m not sure if I would have bought a house so young. We probably should have found another rental house so that we could have saved money.
Also, even though we are still together, I do realize that a TON of relationships at the age of 20 do not last, I am happy that ours is still going strong, of course.
2. Being more realistic.
I’m definitely not going to say that I made NO mistakes. We bought our house with the thinking that I would get a job straight out of college (I graduated with my undergraduate degrees around 7 months later, still at the age of 20).
However, what if I WOULDN’T have gotten this job? We most likely would have not been able to afford it forever. We had enough saved to hold us over for awhile, but we definitely couldn’t enjoy ourselves on the income that we were making (we had enough for expenses, but not if we wanted to hang out with friends or buy clothes).
3. Waited so that I could travel.
This isn’t a huge regret of mine, but I do always have this little inkling that maybe I would have traveled extensively if I wouldn’t have been tied down to a house.
Related: Mistakes I Made When I Bought My First House At The Age of 20
What decisions would you have changed with your house purchase? Tips? Do you already have a second house in mind like I do?
gregjohnson975182420 says
I think that is awesome! I know I wouldn't have been nearly responsible at such a young age. That is impressive.
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makingsenseofcents says
Thanks! A LOT of people told us we were crazy when we told them we were looking for a house.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Jonas Johnson says
Hi there. That’s good that you bought a house at a young age. I want to own my own house too. I’m 20 years old too. I might rent at first, just too save money though. What do you think?
Michelle says
Don’t buy until you are ready! I made a post on this recently.
https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2013/08/is-a-house-right-for-you.html
Mercedes says
Your story reminds me of me and my husband!!! We got married at 19 started living on our own finished college got really good jobs the first year we saved 10,000 and got our first car and the last 2 years we saved 20,000 we just had a baby 12/2015 so we used the money we saved for down payment closing and now working on remodeling!!! This year we will be 4 years married in only 22 and his 23. I love your post
DC@Young Adult Money says
I would have factored in the little costs of our house. We bought one that we could "make our own" and do small renovations/changes over time. Then I realized it costs $600 to replace all the doorknobs and locks….and we still want to replace all the doors! There are just a lot more costs involved than most people think. I've written about it a bit but hope to more in the future just so people are aware of the potential costs involved once you do purchase a house.
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makingsenseofcents says
I agree, there are a lot of costs involved if you want to get a fixer upper.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Allison says
Wow!,Michelle,some of the craziest things have happened to you!
I was so immature at the age of 20, and would not have been able to handle it.
Good for y'all.
makingsenseofcents says
Ha I know. When W's cousin told us about what happened, I about had a heart attack. The guy is in jail forever now though.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Mare says
Ya but that doesn’t bring back the person he murdered. Good thing you got out of there in time. That’s crazy!! But glad you guys are alright.
Evencheap says
Good for you and buying at 20. I bought my first home at 20 as well. I bought a second property (a rental) when I was 26 and have no regrets. I did make some mistakes, but that's what life is all about, taking chances and learning from the mistakes.
makingsenseofcents says
Wow that's awesome! You are definitely doing great, especially since you already have a rental.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
makingsenseofcents says
When you have a crazy neighbor, just move ASAP. That's my tip 🙂
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
makingsenseofcents says
Thanks! It's definitely a lot to take on, but now I'm used to it all.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Grayson@Debt RoundUp says
There is nothing wrong with purchasing a home at an early age as long as you know what you are getting into. My wife and I purchased our home before we were married when we were 23, so not too far from you. We are looking at selling it now to move to a better neighborhood to raise our son.
MakingSenseofCents says
We are looking for a better house as well, need to start saving!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Leslie says
The house is in both your and your partner's name? You two are/aren't married? I see nothing wrong with buying a house when you're 20, the more terrifying thing here is buying a house with someone you're not married to. I know this is sort of common but as a commitmentphobe I'm getting anxious just thinking about it.
MakingSenseofCents says
Yes it is in both of our names. I know I will be judged for this but I believe that marriage is nothing more than a piece of paper (I am not religious) and getting married wouldn't affect us in any way.
Hopefully no one hates me for saying that! But it's just how I feel when it comes to our relationship. A wedding wouldn't make it any stronger, as I believe our relationship is already great.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Leslie says
I absolutely agree with that about marriage. But buying a house is such a huge thing, I don't know, I would want to wait 10 years or something stupid before I felt comfortable enough to do that! I guess now would be different too since I've had some serious long-term relationships end, I would just be more hesitant about it.
but that doesn't matter because things are working out for you!
MakingSenseofCents says
I agree, we definitely bought a house very early in our relationship (we were only 20 and had been together for a little over 3 years at the time). And haha I think it just depends on the people. It's funny because in my group of friends, ALL SIX of us have bought a house with our boyfriends (the last one just bought a house) and we've all been dating with our respective boyfriends since high school. It's weird how we are all alike.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Christopher @ This that and the MBA says
We kind of fell into our house…we wantd to move out of our rental we were in…this guy was renting the house we ended up buying…so we bought the duplex and rent out the top now…its nice income and it covers our mortgage..it was a no brainer for us…considering my wife wasnt working after our first child….kudos to you on your relationship and purchasing the house..
MakingSenseofCents says
That's definitely nice! Great idea.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
CrazyTragicAlmostMagic says
There's no way I could have done this at 20. Was not in a "good place" in life at all. Floundering I suppose. even now, I'm still dealing with some consequences. Someday i hope to own a townhouse at least.
MakingSenseofCents says
I'm sure you will. Everything will get better 🙂
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Probably Rachel says
My husband and I were 23 when we bought our house after only renting an apartment for a year. In the prime location between our two jobs rent is high and it killed us putting that much into a place we didn't own. Buying a house in your 20s leads people to believe that it's tiny, a fixer-upper or that it's in the family. I can't tell you how many people have been surprised to see our big, definitely not a starter home (or pictures of it).
We know that this is a 5-10 year home and that we'll want to move into something bigger and probably newer later in life. But right now I love my charming home.
MakingSenseofCents says
I agree! It's nice meeting others who are similar.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
MakingSenseofCents says
And that's exactly why I didn't want to talk about it ha.
The crazy neighbor punched the guy in the back of the head, and he bled out for a FULL week before his ex wife stopped by the house (because he wasn't returning her phone calls) and found him there.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Brian says
Yeah, I'm with everyone else… that murder part of the story is insane! But it does make for a good conversation starter!
MakingSenseofCents says
Ha I hate talking about it surprisingly, it scares the heck out of me.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Joanna @ OFB says
Whoa! I can't get over the part about living next to a psychopath! I thought you were joking until you said someone was murdered…… It sounds like your home-buying experience was meant to be. Even if you guys didn't consider everything upon purchasing the house, it sounds like it's ended up going well! So kudos to you!
MakingSenseofCents says
Ugh yeah it sounds like a job, but it definitely happened!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
John S @ Frugal Rules says
Wow, murdered!? One of our first places we lived in had been previously used as a crack house/brothel, but no murder. 🙂 Seriously though, that's great you were able to buy a house so young. So many at that age aren't disciplined enough to take on something like that. If I could change one thing about our purchase I would have waited longer in order to save up a bigger down payment.
MakingSenseofCents says
Thanks! And yes I wish we would've have saved more.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
SavvyFinancialLatina says
We are looking to buy our first house in a year. I'm already thinking about it. 🙂 LOL
MakingSenseofCents says
Haha I'm already looking also!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Budget & the Beach says
I can't believe that story of the next tenant being murdered. wow! Well, I have never owned anything and I'm 42. But I have no regrets and I have, in my own mind, have experienced living in multiple places where I could experience different things, and different experiences living with people and on my own. I think I would like to own something someday, but in LA it's pretty tough, especially under my current financial circumstances. If I lived in the Midwest, I'm sure I would have bought a house a long time ago. That's quite an achievement at 20!
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MakingSenseofCents says
I think it's totally different between LA and the Midwest of course. Everything here is super affordable.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Sam says
I think it’s great! If you are responsible and can financially and emotionally handle it, age should not be a deciding factor.
makingsenseofcents says
Thanks! And I agree.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
RichUncle EL says
I may have missed this but was it easy to save up for the downpayment or did you have it already when you turned 20? By me a downpayment for a decent house is about 50K. Nice redesign by the way!
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makingsenseofcents says
We didn't have a very large downpayment. That was one of our mistakes. Luckily that didn't hurt the interest rate we got at all, since we were first time homebuyers and got FHA.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
therandompath says
That's great that you were able to purchase a home at the age of 20! I think back to when I was 20, and there is no way I was mature enough to buy a home.
OMG, the murdered part of your story is creeping me out!
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makingsenseofcents says
I know it's so scary!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Kate says
20 years old is impressive! I was 23 when I bought my house, all on my own. My dad bought his first house at 21 so my family didn't think I was too young, but I think some of my friends did. I'm glad home ownership has worked for you and that you weren't murdered!
makingsenseofcents says
I'm glad it worked out for you as well.
And yes, I'm glad I wasn't murdered!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
iheartbudgets says
Screw all of the details about finances, being too young, whatever…..if you didn't move, you wouldn't be here. HOLY MOLY!
I would gladly "buy a house too young" than hang around and get murdered…WOW!
makingsenseofcents says
AGREED!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Frugalista Married says
High school sweethearts! That is so cute. It's nice to know that some of those relationships actually work out. I can't believe you escaped a murderer! As for the whole house thing. I'm on my 2nd one and I'm still on the fence about how good of a choice it is to buy! My one word of advise is to buy one that you can grow into or don't buy at all. Don't buy a 1BR bungalow that you'll grow out of in 2 seconds and find it hard to sell. It just doesn't make sense unless you know for certain that you will live alone for the rest of your life. I thought I would…but apparently I was wrong so my 1st one did not work out for me which became US at all.
makingsenseofcents says
Haha I am in a group of about 6 close friends and ALL of us are still with our high school sweet hearts. One girl is 28 and they've been together since they were 15!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
debtandthegirl says
My boyfriend was 21 when he bought his house that we currently have. When I met him, he was still living in it. Then the market crashed and we tried to put it up for sale. It didn't sell so we did extensive renovations and put it up for sale again. No luck in selling it a second time. Then we smartened up and started renting it out and its been (mostly) a good experience ever since. If a house was something you could and still can afford, then it can be a great investment even at such a young age. Don't let people bring you down just because you were young. It seems like it worked out well for you.
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makingsenseofcents says
Glad renting it out has worked for you guys so far 🙂
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Veronica Hill says
Murdered huh? Holy crap. Glad you got out in time!
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makingsenseofcents says
Ha I like how that's the main part everyone read! 🙂
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Veronica Hill says
Yeah, I know it's a bit shallow to take that away from a post where you talk about your decision to buy your first house, but you just don't read that sort of thing about someone's real life! Sounds like it's out of a movie.
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makingsenseofcents says
Ugh yeah when I found out, I was shocked. We always knew that our neighbor and his mom (they lived together) were nuts. His mom was always at our house giving us flamingo related items. I'm not even joking, she was NUTS also.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
MakingSenseofCents says
Thanks!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Lisamarie says
Oh I love this! Wow you were ambitious. I bought my condo at at 26. I did it before I was married and solely on my own. It was a goal of mine, having been raised by the most amazing single mom ever. Anyhow, I bought just about the only place in my hometown that I could afford and that wasn't totally pee stained and nasty by the foreclosed owners. Mine was an easy short sale. ( I say that seriously.) And it is of course now way too small. But I don't regret the purchase. I will keep it always and am starting in January to save up for house #2! I just have about, oh, um, three years to go. If I'm lucky! Hahaha.
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makingsenseofcents says
Haha good luck! We need to start saving as well.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Lance@MoneyLife&More says
We bought our house about a year ago. I think we made a good decision but it is a bit small sometimes but I'm OK with that. We've had a second house in mind but it is 5-10 years down the road. We might buy sooner and rent it out before we move into it so we'll see.
makingsenseofcents says
I wish we didn't have a second house on our minds so soon, but we do want to make the next house our final house. Scary to say since we are 23.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
makingsenseofcents says
Thankfully the midwest has good housing prices, I am definitely thankful for that.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
plantingourpennies says
What's with all the stories of murder on the blogosphere today? Holy cow!
I'm glad it worked out for you, but at 20 I was still struggling to figure out my place in the world. I'm glad that we waited until we were about to be married to buy our first house.
Pauline says
Crazy story! I bought my first flat cash at 22 just before I graduated college. It was super cheap because of the bad neighborhood and I rented it while I traveled the world. Best of both worlds! I would never have bought with a BF though, or would have gotten married I think.
makingsenseofcents says
Wow that's great! I've always been envious of all of your traveling.
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
Kim@Eyesonthedollar says
I would not have had my head in the game enough at that point to consider buying a house, but I think it is probably smarter than renting if you know what you're doing, and you obviously do.
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makingsenseofcents says
Thanks Kim!
My recent post Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
SingleMomsIncome.com says
I don't think I was mature enough at 20 to buy a house. It is very impressive how good you were with money at such a young age. I am not going to consider buying a home until I have a substantial amount saved, I have become a worrywart these days.
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makingsenseofcents says
Thanks! And yes, we don't plan on buying our next until we have much more saved.
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Canadianbudgetbinder says
I don't think your crazy because if I did then I would be too! I bought my house while I was still in University and working as well. I as paying more for rent than I did owning a home so it made sense to me. I sold that for a nice profit then bought another house a few years later, just bigger and better. I sold that house made a bigger profit and moved here to Canada and then bought this house with the Mrs. I'm only in my 30's and the house is pretty much paid in full.. ok well we have the cash and will be paid in the new year. I had to start a whole new life here in Canada, go back to school as my Uni Degree wasn't fully recognized (surprise) but we did it and not one handout in our lives. Mrs.CBB bought her first home at 29 I believe but has always been a saver. We have lots of fun together, go on trips and enjoy life. No debt, 2 vehicles full paid and it's because we both started saving money when we were young. If someone thinks that's crazy then so be it but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Now all we need is the kids 🙂 I say keep reaching for your dreams mate… you have probably more knowledge than I did at your age!! Great Post. Mr.CBB
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makingsenseofcents says
Wow sounds like you two are definitely doing great!
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makingsenseofcents says
That's how it was for us, rent and a mortgage payment were just too similar, so housing definitely had it's appeal.
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Crystal @ PET says
We bought early too, so no judgements from me. 🙂 Hubby and I met at 18, got married at 21/22 (I'm 6 months older), and bought our first home at 22/23. In Houston, TX, it just made sense. Either $700-$1000 for rent in an apartment or $740 a month for a 15 year mortgage. Even with property taxes, we were paying less than $1000 a month. After refinancing in 2011, we were paying less than $800 a month.
Since the payments were so low, we used 2011 to make a huge dent (only $23,000 left) and we bought our new house at age 29. So now we have another mortgage, but we'll be down to one next year and we couldn't be happier.
Sometimes you just know and it doesn't matter how young you are.
PS I am so glad you moved in time and I feel so sorry for the next renter…
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I Love Being Online says
Let me say, "I really love your blog and I'll definitely be coming to visit again." =)
Well, I'm 21 and I have bad credit. I need to repair it in order to buy a house just yet. However, I am renting and it does suck. We have a one bedroom apartment on the top floor. Although this is not my dream place – it will do for now. Until my company earns me thousands and then millions of dollars — that's when we'll purchase a home. 😀
But hey.. if I were you – I think you did a good job. Buying a home is a huge investment but its a good one. It's your own. You never have to worry about being homeless for sure. Haha. =)
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MakingSenseofCents says
Thanks! Glad you enjoy my blog.
Sandra says
Well, I got to say you got a lot of courage buying a house in 20s. I am in my 30, has a job, but thinking again and again and I am not sure If I should do it.
Not that my rent is cheap ( It is pretty high ) but i hear from people who own houses there is a lot of maintenance around, you end paying as much as rent.
Michelle says
We don't regret out house purchase. We pay around $960 a month and that includes the mortgage, insurance and taxes. It's not bad at all and if we wanted to ret a house like ours it would probably be around $1,500 per month.
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Marci says
I'm also 20 years old. We have already had 2 apartments. Our first apartment was 575 on month and our second is 775. So I do believe we can stand a mortgage a month. I know a lot of people have to issue with and concerns with us being so young. My boyfriend and I will be together for 3 years. I am meeting with a realtor tomorrow. And I'm very nervous because of the post I'm seeing about waiting. I just think its a complete waste to pay this much for an apartment that isn't even mine. Any advice?
Michelle says
You sound like a lot like us. It really just depends on what you're comfortable with and as long as you see value in it and can afford it. By the time we bought our house (the same one we live in now), we had lived in 2 or 3 places as well and new we wanted to buy.
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Cody says
Wow that’s awesome! I bought my house at 20 as well, just turned over a huge profit and am buying a second home at 21! Hard work pays off, and so do great careers huh!? Too blessed to be stressed 😀
Michelle S. says
Wow that’s awesome! Good job Cody!
Leonardo says
really inspiring….
Adele Grisham says
Buying a home is usually one of the best investments you can make. But, things can go belly up when the economy is on a prolonged downturn.
Elle says
Wow I guess your gut was really telling you to move until something bad happens with that psychopath. I’m not sure if I would have been ready to buy a house at 20 (I had a entry-level job and 14K loan)… but I think that if it feels right at the time, then you should go for it. Both of you had a job after all. I would probably wait until I had some savings and my loan was partially paid off, to consider buying property.
Good for you!
Jennifer says
I am so inspired. I’m 21 and want to buy my own house soooo badly. I’ve got my down payment already just working on closing costs now. I can’t tell you how many people I try to get advise from tell me I’m crazy and well sometimes I feel like maybe I should take this plunge but stories like yours make me not care at all. Thank you so much ! Wish me luck!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Good luck!
plt002 says
Whoa! I’d say you had perfect timing, what with that psychopath and all!
I bought my first home in 2012 at age 21, partly because in my particular situation, renting was more expensive than buying. I found a 4br, 2bath foreclosure after a long year of searching, and my mortgage has turned out to be cheaper than any decent 1br rental I could find! Many of my friends poke fun at me for living in a small town, but with the lower cost of living, I’m able to pay off my undergrad student loans this month! Now I get to put more money back for retirement and have extra “fun money” for travel!
The big thing I learned from this experience was to set pride aside and take advantage of living with your family, if it allows you to save your money. You give up some independence for a while, but it’s worth it!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Great job!
Amie George says
This is great. At 20 I was definitely not thinking about things like this and that’s when I should have been. Now that I have a daughter almost this age I hope she keeps the right mindset to help her maintain a happy, healthy, successful life.
Sheridan says
I’ve been thinking lately… If at the age of 20 me and my partner are still together that It would be a wise move to get a loan and buy a house, then rent it for five years or how ever long and live with family members paying a much lower rent than if I was to rent a house elsewhere. After the five years move in and start a family.. What are people’s thoughts on this .. Wise move or not?
Deanna says
Good read! I bought my house when I was 19, just about to turn 20! And the biggest thing for us was that we were willing to look around all locations I always had a goal of buying a house before 25 so I’d been saving up for a long time, and with both myself and my husband working we were able to afford our dream house.
It’s a little bit different than our friends, because we are focused on paying it off ASAP and don’t want to go out- we’ve even been called boring because we don’t drink, but it’s been well worth it for us!
Sahin Oral says
Wow quite motivational & you have an interesting journey.
Not many people can achieve this. You should give yourslf more credit.
Cheers! 🙂
Jasmine Vanasselt says
Well done! Very inspirational to a lot of young people! Great story as for the murder side of things… Speechless there.
Living Free says
I’m totally inspired by your blog and what you are doing. We are planning to purchase an apartment and get the rental cash flow going. Remarkable blog!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Thanks!
Deanna Castro says
Thank God you got out of there! You did the right thing buying the house, especially now looking back because you are getting to travel anyway.
Young and Finance says
Definitely a good idea to buy young and it looks like it paid off for you in the end. Instead of paying a landlord’s mortgage, you paid your own…smart way to go!
Ashley Williams says
i appreciate your confidence which took you very high in young age. its really difficult to take 1st step which is your final decision then fulfill it as you want. Home buying process not so easy but your better research or knowledge can make it easy no matter in what age you have i have read your article which inspires me a lot
Ella says
Congratulations on buying a house so early. I bought mine when I was 21. Like you, I sometimes wonder if I should have travelled first as travelling is something I definitely want to pursue more of 🙂
Ari says
My question is in what city and state did you buy your first home? And where do you guys reside now?
I think this is doable based on the following:
1.) Live with relatives or rent a room from one(like you did). It will be less than what most pay for in the rental market
2.) If you are making above minimum wage, it is easier to save money if step no.1 is happening
3.) You are buying a home that’s not in LA,NY,SF or any other expensive metropolitan place.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Our house was in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. We have since sold it and we now travel full-time.
Burt Silver says
I like what you said about the timing of buying your house and how you may be a bit young. I’m turning 20 soon and already thinking of buying my own house. I’m not entirely sure yet, but I’m looking into getting a real estate agent that could help me to find something within my budget that I can realistically afford this large investment.
Jon Wegner says
Michelle,
My name is Jon “Scooterjon” Wegner from North Dakota. I am a disabled guy with progressive Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 1991. My MS made me a paraplegic six years ago hence my nickname. Nothing works below my waist anymore but I still have my head, arms and hands working. I’m reading your makingsenseofcents and I’m so glad to hear people can make money blogging. I have a blog at scooterjons.blogspot.com. I’ve had that site for awhile and what a piece of crap but I didn’t know any better. I’m joining Bluehost.com later this week under your link.
My blog is about Multiple Sclerosis and I have alot of personal information. MS affects cognitive thinking in some people. In me, I have the attention span of a 3rd grader and sometimes I’ll have trouble figuring something out. I was trying to figure out some moneymaking ways today for my blog but I have a couple of questions.
1. What I would like to do is get paid for people clicking on a link or filling out a capture page. Do I want to put CPA, CPL, PPA or PPL on my blog? 2. Is MaxBounty a good spot to look at for potential moneymakers? If you have any suggestions I’m all ears.
Thanks alot,
Scooterjon
Paul says
maybe my reading comprehension skills are declining but. . . how did you buy the house at 20?
how much down? how did you get that together? how much mortgage? did you have a co-signer?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
We both had jobs. We only put around 5% down – so we paid PMI. No cosigner.
Leena says
For me the average age of when you should buy your own house is somewhere around 27-30 years. However, it is also dependent upon your financial strength, family size, and mostly importantly state the real estate market, if there is a boom in the market the prices would be extremely high then it would not suitable invest in real estate at that time.
Kat Carney says
Wait, how are more people not asking for more details about the murder?!?! What the heck, dropping bombs and then not giving more details! That’s legitimately insane that you moved out and the next person who lived there was murdered by your neighbor. Did you know they were crazy or did you find out when the person was murdered? Were you surprised? I have so many questions!!
Mariswari says
WOW! I wondering about this “Sadly, the person who rented the house after us ended up being murdered by the psychopath” is it TRUE ? it’s just like in a movie!!