Talking, of course, about the current time, with obscene property prices and the difficulty first time buyers have in getting a decent mortgage. I ask because I'm 25 and have somehow ended up living with my parents again.
I take heart from the fact that it's a situation certainly not of my design. I moved away to Uni right about the time of my 19th birthday, straight after finishing my A-levels at school. I lived away for 4 years and ended up with overdraft and a couple of credit card debts totalling a little more than I'd care to say, though I know many would consider it a trifling amount. When my last year's contract was ending up in Southampton my dad was well on the way to finishing the house he was building in Ireland and both he and my mother were planning to move out there, leaving my sister living alone in the house he'd built in Kent. Since she had just started a nursing course, she couldn't afford to pay any rent or bills (apparently) so she'd arranged with our parents that she'd live there free for the duration of her course, which is now finished. My brother was moving down from Bridgwater, ostensibly because his hours at work had been cut, but really because he'd not planned to spend quite so much when he bought a flat and intended to abandon the mortgage and dodge the debt collectors. Between myself and him, we'd pay to maintain the house - all the utility bills, TV license, phone line etc etc. After a few months, when it became obvious that he had no real intention to pay, he was politely removed.
This was all just before everything started going mammaries-skyward in the financial market. Back in the 80s my dad did very well for himself as a contractor and landlord - he owned several properties, drove a jaguar, both my brother & sister went to private school and so on, but everything went south in the housing crash in 1987. We were making do until the end of last year, when my mum fell ill - my dad & sister decided it was best they both move back to Kent, even though my mum would have been happier out in Ireland, but that's a different story. Originally it was only for a month or two until her health improved, but now with a longer course of treatment underway it's been 6 months and shows no signs of changing any time soon. I have to get out of my home.
Problem is, I moved back down to Kent primarily to free up some income to pay off my debts at a good rate. I'm a fair way there, but I've still got my overdraft to pay off. I'm only paying £350 a month now, which leaves a solid chunk of disposable income to do with as I please, and I'm sure as hell not gonna find a better deal anywhere near here. More money paid out on rent means less clearing debts. I've (perhaps stupidly) agreed to go to India for 3 weeks in November which won't be overly cheap - £600 for plane tickets and maybe another £500 over there - but from what I can tell, if I stay where I am I can clear pretty much everything of significance by the end of the year. Weighed against that is the feeling that, even at 25, I'm far, far too old to be living at home with my parents.
So what's the general feeling? Is it weird for a mid-20s to be living with their parents? Does it make a difference that I'm paying a substantial rent, though still considerably cheaper than a place elsewhere? How old is 'too old' to still be living with your folks?
Edit: Holy wall of text!
I take heart from the fact that it's a situation certainly not of my design. I moved away to Uni right about the time of my 19th birthday, straight after finishing my A-levels at school. I lived away for 4 years and ended up with overdraft and a couple of credit card debts totalling a little more than I'd care to say, though I know many would consider it a trifling amount. When my last year's contract was ending up in Southampton my dad was well on the way to finishing the house he was building in Ireland and both he and my mother were planning to move out there, leaving my sister living alone in the house he'd built in Kent. Since she had just started a nursing course, she couldn't afford to pay any rent or bills (apparently) so she'd arranged with our parents that she'd live there free for the duration of her course, which is now finished. My brother was moving down from Bridgwater, ostensibly because his hours at work had been cut, but really because he'd not planned to spend quite so much when he bought a flat and intended to abandon the mortgage and dodge the debt collectors. Between myself and him, we'd pay to maintain the house - all the utility bills, TV license, phone line etc etc. After a few months, when it became obvious that he had no real intention to pay, he was politely removed.
This was all just before everything started going mammaries-skyward in the financial market. Back in the 80s my dad did very well for himself as a contractor and landlord - he owned several properties, drove a jaguar, both my brother & sister went to private school and so on, but everything went south in the housing crash in 1987. We were making do until the end of last year, when my mum fell ill - my dad & sister decided it was best they both move back to Kent, even though my mum would have been happier out in Ireland, but that's a different story. Originally it was only for a month or two until her health improved, but now with a longer course of treatment underway it's been 6 months and shows no signs of changing any time soon. I have to get out of my home.
Problem is, I moved back down to Kent primarily to free up some income to pay off my debts at a good rate. I'm a fair way there, but I've still got my overdraft to pay off. I'm only paying £350 a month now, which leaves a solid chunk of disposable income to do with as I please, and I'm sure as hell not gonna find a better deal anywhere near here. More money paid out on rent means less clearing debts. I've (perhaps stupidly) agreed to go to India for 3 weeks in November which won't be overly cheap - £600 for plane tickets and maybe another £500 over there - but from what I can tell, if I stay where I am I can clear pretty much everything of significance by the end of the year. Weighed against that is the feeling that, even at 25, I'm far, far too old to be living at home with my parents.
So what's the general feeling? Is it weird for a mid-20s to be living with their parents? Does it make a difference that I'm paying a substantial rent, though still considerably cheaper than a place elsewhere? How old is 'too old' to still be living with your folks?
Edit: Holy wall of text!
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