2 out of 3 young adults living at home

Thespoofer

Kind of related but I remember speaking about 17-18 years ago about the differences between what was my experience working in Eastern Europe and comparing things between there and here back then.

Few points mentioned were

- percentage of peoples income spent on rent/accomodation back then was Eastern Europe approx 50%, here about 30-35%. That's changed now , we've caught up.

- multi generations living under one roof, back then EE was normal, here not very common, we've caught up in this too.

- prices of second hand cars. Each time I visited the inlaws in EE I always bought the local 'buy and sell' paper ( sold everything ), just to see how prices of stuff compared. Second hand cars were way more expensive back then in EE than here, I remember thinking they really do make things last longer, repair etc. Here also we've caught up.

- house/apartment prices. Back then would have been the Celtic Tiger era/hangover and prices here were ( and again are) mental. EE you could pick up a property relatively handy in comparison. They've caught up with us now ( in alot of areas ).

My point, well it was just observations made back then and now things are so mixed now ( alot of free movement and alot more competition in all aspects of life , Europe , etc ) I can't see things reversing any time soon.

nolivesmatter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121921825#Comment_121921825

I couldn't agree more. Undoubtedly there's an affordable housing issue, but the vast majority of people I know who live at home in the their late 20's and early 30's are single, and all of the people I know who don't are in a couple.

We're currently enjoying peak capitalism.

Enjoy what you can of it because it's only going to get worse.

Ireland hadn't a pot to piss in for 95% of the 20th century yet we built huge amounts of social housing, provided by local authorities. We were barely a country when we enjoyed our greatest boom of social housing. Up to 1960 over 50% of new builds were social housing.

We're now richer than ever yet dwellings are getting smaller and more shoddily built than ever, all thanks to the great joys of the 'free market'.

Compare a house built in the 60s or 70s to a newly built yoke - the 60s and 70s house would be up and dressed before a newly built house opened its eyes.

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121924592#Comment_121924592

Are houses getting smaller? Most houses I see being built are semi detached in spacious estates with back gardens, front drives, and communal green areas.

I would guess that the vast majority of people have either bigger houses, or more personal space in their homes than at any point in the last 100 years.

They are built with energy efficiency in mind, and even with thinner walls are far warmer and healthier environments than thick walled, poorly ventilated, mouldy terrace houses from yesteryear.

The problem is that in built up urban areas there are not enough smaller rooms/flats to rent for reasonable prices. I honestly can't believe that the market is not flooded with college dorm type rental buildings for young working people. But we're still largely stuck in the house share system, until probably some foreign company comes in and shows us how to do it.

_Kaiser_

The whole "stay at home to save" concept or the "bank of mam and dad" has always been a problem. It hugely distorts the market, purchasing power, and abdicates responsibility for providing opportunities and housing at those earlier stages of life back into families themselves.

There's also the group for whom staying at home isn't an option - maybe the parents have no money to give, maybe there was an abusive situation, maybe they're dead. For those people the situation is even harder, especially if they're single at a time when even "good" dual incomes isn't even enough in many cases.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121917354#Comment_121917354

So you've been to Thailand and had a good experience with their healthcare. Have you been anywhere else or compared any other aspect to how "hard" we have it in Ireland? Even in Thailand?.

We are very well off in Ireland compared to most of the world, even Thailand.

But back to the living at home. Until 3 weeks ago myself and my other half were living in out parents homes.

We were living in a house share for years but that was sold, so moved back to save money for a deposit for our own place. It was totally our choice whether we emigrated, moved home, looked for another house share or rented somewhere of our own, or even put up a cabin in my parents garden. We moved to our homes to decide what we wanted to do and decided we were saving so much money there we would just stay until we found a suitable house.

But we never felt we had no choice and it wasnt up to us. It was just convenient for us. Not to mention plenty of spare cash after the €250 per month max i could only persuade my parents to take and the other halfs parents would take nothing from her. Dinner served up, washing done, no bills. Jackpot :)

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121924737#Comment_121924737

This continual notion that we should compare ourselves with 3rd world or less developed countries is a fallacy.

We don't claim to be either of these things but instead a first world Western nation.

That's the standard we should be referencing and as supposedly one of the wealthiest our services and infrastructure should be almost second to none.

In reality of course that wealth is only a theoretical paper number. The truth for many people and families is very different.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121924751#Comment_121924751

Not true. If you want to have a moan about how hard you have it, just realize where you are moaning from.

Gary_dunne

To the people saying "just live with your parents and save on rent, it's a no brainer" that's all well and good when your parents live in a suitable area with amenities around you.

My commute to my office would be two hours each way, I could do that for a while but long term it wouldn't suit. My partner lives in Dublin so I wouldn't have been able to see her often thankfully I was able to rent in a house share nearby to her for a number of years.

We are now very lucky to get the to live together rent free in a nice house while it is going through probate and have been able to save a substantial amount towards our own deposit but we were extremely fortunate to be given this rare opportunity. The alternative would have been to move in with her parents but as someone in his early 30's who's lived out of the family home since 22 it's not something that would appeal to me at all.

Sunny Disposition

The country is bo11oxed really, it's a sh!te state of affairs for young and not so young people. Ireland hasn't had a functional housing market for nearly 30 years, boom-bust, and it's still happening.

I think younger people have no option but to vote SF, even though they will be very poor in Government. The thing is they have at least identified some of the correct priorities. In reality their stance on restricting property owners rights is simply ridiculous and would seriously exacerbate the situation, but that may be just a stage towards eventually having a Government with the right priorities and a reasonable approach.

68% of 18-34 year olds living at home. I'd imagine the figures are far worse in Dublin, Galway and Cork cities. With the level of immigration we have it's hard to think things will get much better in the next 3-5 years. There are thousands of people in hotel rooms and more still coming to Ireland. The construction sector is at capacity already, there are new homes being built, but I can't see it being enough.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121920569#Comment_121920569

Who are these people on low incomes trying to live in nice areas by themselves?

They didn't exist when I was a grad.

Maybe if you dont have a good salary you shouldnt be looking for your own place in a nice area? Think about it for 5 seconds. Who do you think you are competing with? Times up. The people who do have lots of money.

Oscar_Madison

What’s the “going abroad after college” situation like these days? Canada, Oz, NZ etc are there good opportunities to get relevant work experience and a decent wage for the first few years or are even those countries with tighter restrictions on who they want? I saw Australia over in Ireland this week looking to populate their police force with Irish.

I guess though cost of living in these places is on the rise just like Ireland - you’d want to do your homework and have decent skills and education before jumping in

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058342625/2-out-of-3-young-adults-living-at-home

18-34 is a huge age gap

Most 18 year old now are still in secondary school with primary schools recommending not to start till at least 5 and when I went to primary I was just turned 4.

The number going into College/Uni/course etc is large now as well and most will likely live at home if possible during this time. Also people are spending longer now in 3rd level than a number of years ago. So does this have an affect?

It's a nice headline, will get lots of clicks and shares,but really what is behind it?

In terms of the person talking about moving to London, does he actually understand how bad housing is in London at the moment?

By the way I am not saying that people are living at home ebcause they can't get a house just saying a splash headline like this is normally hiding the actual story behind it which might not get as many clicks

zell12

edit.. wrong thread

zell12

edit

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121926262#Comment_121926262

Canada cost of living is crazy, Oz is not much better. I don't know in regards to NZ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121925062#Comment_121925062

People have lots of options instead of Sinn Fein.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121926325#Comment_121926325

NZ has the same.

Bigmac1euro

There’s some seriously out of touch responses in this thread. It’s hard to read some of this. Someone mentioned not evening thinking about buying a place well into their 30’s and I’m honestly not sure if they were messing or not. Anyway. Sad state of affairs all around.

I think we need to pull together as a country and first turn off the tap of the overflowing bath that is immigration.

We really need to get our house in order. This generation has it hard in terms of independence away from the family home. For the first time the current generation has arguably done far worse off than the previous generation so what does that say about some of the posters on here. The mind boggles.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121926325#Comment_121926325

Yeah I was thinking that - while getting the international experience and broadening your horizons is also good , I guess people could well return home in 3-4 years with little saved - really need to bolster remote working more - there’s towns all over Ireland crying out for a new young population to come and live there - we have to move from reliance on major cities for employment - not easy I know

AnnieinDundrum

I left school in the 1980s and went to UCD. I grew up in Dublin so I lived at home, as did the majority of my classmates from Dublin. Most continued to live at home for quite a few years afterwards. Usually until they were getting married or otherwise sharing a mortgage. A handful bought houses and had lodgers in the spare rooms. The mortgage usually needed some support from their parents. The kids from outside Dublin lived in a variety of crowded bedsits or with relatives, improving post college as salaries grew.

no one expected to buy to live alone, unless “granny died”.. that was the expression we used when someone came into money enabling them to jump onto the property ladder.

this wasn’t seen as a problem. I get that a 30 something working full time ought to be able to buy a place if they want to, and they are willing to rent our rooms or otherwise share costs. But unless you had an inheritance or an exceptional salary there was not an expectation of buying a home alone in my experience.

of course there wasn’t an expectation that property prices would move much so the option of flipping a property wasn’t part of the picture. You bought expecting to live there for a decade at least.

has the expectation changed?

Goldengirl

I would think that the numbers in the cities are raising the average .

Most students live at home if attending college in their home city .

That's expected if they can . Much easier for them and less expensive for parents .

It starts to bite when they get their jobs and are still living at home ...2 years on still living at home ...25 + years of age , starting relationships and having to meet their families at breakfast ( or lunch !) the following day or on the landing waiting with their new boyfriend / girlfriend ...partners living in the family home then .

Others emigrating because all their friends are going .

Parents trying to help with deposits or flight costs , while supporting other grown children at home .

Do they contribute to bills or food , or help with housework, thorny issues and you don't want to be mean but certainly it has to be agreed . Otherwise we will be under financial pressure .

Ok... we love them, but it's hard and not what I expected to be doing at this stage of my life . Nor himself .

Myself and my oh were gone from home at 17 when we finished school and only home for the odd weekend or holiday so have not experienced this before. But we were from a small town, bigger families , poorer times . . Different situation

Also getting worried that they will all end up living here with us permanently and never get to experience having their own space, freedom to enjoy it and choice to have families .

Their childhood bedroom just doesn't cut it no matter how big your house .

On another note there are a very high percentage of office buildings vacant in cities since remote working became allowed and still more being built . Cranes everywhere in Dublin .

All in central areas. When will these be converted if ever to house the growing number of young people looking for one bed apartments?

Surely that penny needs to drop sometime ?

Goldengirl

@Clo-Clo @Oscar_Madison NZ anecdotally not as bad but getting there . Have one thinking of going there after Australia if he can because he said the quality of life is better there ?

Don't know if it will happen but am thinking if so he may not come home at all .

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932496#Comment_121932496

Its a good point on the conversion of older office blocks to apartments.

Its very difficult to convert older office blocks to resi though. However, once those blocks vacate, as businesses move to the newer, higher rated accomodation, hopefully we will see a lot of the old office blocks knocked and replaced with new apartments.

That takes time though, unfortunatley.

I think we need to realise that there is no quick fix to the housing crisis. But if the govt pull the right levers, hopefully we will be in a much better place in 5 yrs time.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932566#Comment_121932566

Depends, loads of us travelled and met Irish in Aus etc….the number of people who stayed was minimal compared to those that came home. So it’s different for everyone

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121933218#Comment_121933218

This hopefully, but at the end of the day you just want them happy and settled wherever they are.

Have met a few coming from Australia and Canada recently to settle with Irish partners.

Full of enthusiasm and positivity and very happy.

Its hard on their parents and will be, once children arrive, for them.

I didn't mention that of course, everybody has to find their own way.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932496#Comment_121932496

"Ok... we love them, but it's hard and not what I expected to be doing at this stage of my life . Nor himself."

Much the same here. Last year we were down to one and actively thinking of moving, now back to full complement and it's certainly not what we expected either. It's manageable and nice at one level but not great in others. We'd actually need to upsize if this is a long term situation. Our eldest will be the same age this year as we were when they were born. We'd been a couple for several years, no problem renting and shortly after able to buy a doer upper. They just don't have the same opportunities, hence to some extent my frustration with the expanding population.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121934908#Comment_121934908

Yes.

We were older, getting our house and starting our family , but married , renting and saving for a good few years before that. We had beanbags and an entertainment unit , remember them ?

Happy that the eldest two are getting on well and happy abroad but the real test will be if things aren't improved in a few years time here alright .

We would have been encouraging them to go and travel but they were the main drivers in these far away moves .

I was thinking UK or Europe !

Jeez , good job ye didn't move ?

nullzero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121924592#Comment_121924592

Is the answer the building of Kruschevka?

Capitalism isn't a fair system but the alternative was played out countless times over the last century and all it did was kill people en masse and make the people left over miserable.

Ireland built it's social housing while operating within the capitalist system, albeit as minor players.

I'm not about to offer some simplistic solution to this problem but painting it as a product of capitalism isn't really acknowledging the reality of the situation either.

Furze99

Interesting discussion on radio this morning which I caught a bit of. Principally to the effect that across the western world, previous generations had a reasonable expectation of earning more than their parents and of having a better standard of living. But that this has waned steadily and going negative for the current populations. That corporations & individuals are absorbing more wealth now proportionately. What will change this direction? Social revolution? Revolution on the streets? A war?