A 37-year-old millennial took to Reddit to vent about feeling “inferior” when he sees younger people owning homes while he and his wife are still renting. “When I hear someone younger than me has a house I feel like I failed somehow, or that I’m stupid for not chasing a house in my early 20s or something. I don’t wish badly on anyone who gets their own house or anything. This is just about my own personal inadequacies.”

His post resonated deeply, sparking 3,400 comments from people in similar situations and others offering hard-hitting truths about the state of homeownership today.

You’re Not Alone – And It’s Not Your Fault

Many users reassured the original poster that he's far from alone. A common theme in the responses was that homeownership today is more about privilege than personal effort.

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One commenter put it bluntly: "At least you have a wife. I have a room at my mom’s house." Another added, "The only people under 45 I know that own homes got help from parents. Either they lived with a parent rent-free to save for a down payment or their parents gave them money for a home."

On the other hand, some think it could be worse. As someone said, “You think that's a bad feeling, imagine if that ‘younger person’ is your younger sibling.” 

And also, “We (30F and 31M) bought a house in 2023. We couldn't do it today. We could only do it then because my mom died unexpectedly and I got an inheritance. Our mortgage is $3,600 and our combined income is 150k. Money is TIGHT with that. Please don't feel inferior, our world is a hard and scary place.”

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The sentiment was echoed throughout the thread, with many pointing out that millennials were dealt a tough hand, facing skyrocketing home prices, stagnant wages and crushing student debt.

On the other hand, some are even envying renters. As one person revealed, “I’m around your age and didn’t get my first house until 2019. It’ll happen. However, I envy renters sometimes because they don’t have to deal with all the s**t and expenses that comes with owning a home.”

How Millennials Built Wealth – And Why Many Feel Stuck

Despite the struggle, recent data suggests that millennials have seen their wealth grow significantly – but it's largely due to those who managed to buy homes earlier.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the median net worth of older millennials doubled from $60,000 in 2019 to $130,000 in 2022. Millennials and older Gen Z-ers now hold 25% more wealth than previous generations at the same age, with 42% of their assets tied up in real estate.

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But not every young homeowner feels secure. Due to their low mortgage rates, many people are currently experiencing the “golden handcuffs” conundrum, which prevents them from upgrading to a larger property without facing noticeably higher monthly expenses.

With traditional homeownership feeling out of reach, some millennials are turning to fractional real estate investing as an alternative. Platforms like Arrived, backed by Jeff Bezos, allow investors to buy shares of rental properties for as little as $100.

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