A 20-year-old Reddit user says his parents want to sell him their home for $220,000, cover most of the down payment, pay the closing costs and even leave behind nearly all the furniture. But there's just one problem: the mortgage would take up half of his take-home pay.
A Sweet Deal With Some Tough Trade-Offs
The son explained that his parents are ready to retire and want to sell him their house at market value. They're also offering him a $30,000 gift of equity. He says the out-of-pocket expense after first-time homebuyer grants would be around $6,000. “Most would jump on this deal in a heartbeat,” he wrote in the r/personalfinance subreddit recently.
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He earns about $20 per hour, which puts his monthly mortgage payment, including escrow, around $1,500. “[That’s] about 50% of my net income every month,” he said. While he has $30,000 saved in a high-yield savings account, he admitted the deal still feels like a major stretch.
“I have the feeling that this is too good an offer to pass up, and if that means I need to eat ramen every day for the next few years till my income improves, that will be something I'm willing to do,” he added.
The Reddit post quickly gained attention, with many urging him to take the deal and find roommates. “Get two roommates you can trust at $500 (or what's fair) a month. Also split utilities,” one person advised. Another added, “In this scenario, you are the landlord. Be a good one. You're young. Don't be a douche about it.”
He responded that the master bedroom has its own entry and bathroom, making it ideal to rent out. His girlfriend, currently a student paying $400 in rent to her sister, may also move in after her lease ends.
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Stability, Equity And A Reality Check
OP works in property management and noted that even with an employee discount, renting elsewhere would cost him $1,300 to $1,400 a month. And if he were to lose his job, he’d only have 15 days to move out. Owning the home provides a level of stability he wouldn’t otherwise have.
Some Redditors encouraged him to take the leap and build wealth early. One commented, “Do it. And thank your parents. That's a huge gift.” Another said, “You'll have a paid-off home by 50. That's worth so much.”
Still, others advised caution. “Housing costs being 50% of your income is pretty tight,” one person warned. Another questioned, “That payment takes too much of your income. What happens when the roof leaks, you get termites, or the furnace dies? That's financial suicide.”
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OP clarified that his siblings had already received their share of help from their parents and aren't likely to contest the deal. He also emphasized that he has no plans to leave the area, writing, “This area is all I know, and I’m not leaving it anytime soon.” He added that he doesn’t expect his parents to give him a lump sum of cash instead of the house, noting that similar generosity toward his older sisters didn’t go well and ended in disappointment. “They both blew it,” he said.
In the end, while there are some risks, the general consensus was to take the deal, be smart about expenses, and get a roommate or two. As one commenter put it: “It might feel like you’re being shackled by a house, but it’s actually opening a lot of opportunities for you.”
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