The little house our ds25 bought in March would have cost $100,000 less if he had bought it 2 years earlier according to Zillow's chart of the home's value over the years. Of course he was not ready to buy 2 years prior but dang that is ridiculous. He also insists on a 15-year mortgage because it costs so much more in interest to have a 30 year. He says he'd rather suffer now than drag it out until he's "old". He has to work OT to come up with money for fixing up the house so that's coming along slowly.
When he lived at home, he'd buy an annual pass that gives entry to various ski resorts in the Poconos, VT, etc. He says he doesn't have the time or the money for that this year.
When dh and I bought our house, it was also a fixer upper with good bones and he could do the work but he had me to help do the bills, cleaning, cooking and grocery shopping so he could focus on the remodeling projects. For ds, it's all on him and he's trying to work OT. Something's gotta give and I only hope it's not his mind.
Dh forgets all of this when he wants to go work on the house every Saturday & Sunday all day and says, "What do you mean you need to clean? Do that on weekdays." Lol. The kid works 10-hour days and comes home and cooks. How much more should he fit into one day?
He didn't want to wait until "someday when he gets married" because who knows if/when that will ever happen and he didn't want to pay rent which is such a money suck that it makes it even harder to save for a down payment.
I feel bad for young people these days.
On a positive note, if he stays there he'll be mortgage-free at 39.
