Millennial Homeowners, Please Tell Us How In The World You Did It

It's no secret that millennials are behind previous generations when it comes to buying homes. And I don't know who needs to hear this, but it's not because we bought too many avocados or lattes.

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Between student loan debt, stagnant wages, and rising costs of living, millennials have been dealt a tough hand. So it absolutely makes sense that we're not buying homes at the same rate that previous generations did when they were our age. We're living in a much different world!

So if you're a millennial who owns a home, we'd love to hear your story of how you got there.

Maybe you were able to save up for the down payment thanks to help from your family. After college, your parents let you stay at home for a few years so you could save money. Not having to pay rent during that time allowed you build up a homebuying fund that you don't know how you could have gotten otherwise.

Young woman dancing in her kitchen at home
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Or perhaps you were able to land a high-paying job. And instead of spending more with your bigger earning power, you kept driving a beater car and living with roommates. Keeping your expenses as low as possible gave you room to save up for a down payment.

Young man and his dog moving into a new house
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Or maybe you inherited a house after a loved one died and you feel kinda conflicted about it. It's weird being congratulated on owning a house when you'd so much rather just have that person back. But at the same time, you know that it's a huge privilege to have a home.

Young woman looking pensive at her kitchen table
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Or perhaps you and your partner took advantage of a first-time homebuyers program in your area. You had some savings stashed away, but not enough for a down payment without the help of that program.

Young couple high-fiving while taking a break from painting their living room
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Tell us how you became a millennial homeowner in the comments or via this anonymous Google form and you could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post.

And for more stories about life and money, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.