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12 Unusual Things Millennials Are Willing to Do (Or Give Up) to Own Their Dream Home
In 2017, an Australian millionaire suggested that the reason Millennials couldn’t afford to buy a house is because they spent so much money on avocado toast. As you can imagine, that didn’t go over so well with Millennials…
Saving up to buy a house has always been a tough thing to do, but it’s even more difficult for the younger generations saddled with higher costs of living, student loans, and home values that outpace their ability to save.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t see the value in homeownership, or that they don’t want to own a home. In fact, Millennials make up a huge percentage of home buyers—37 percent, according to the National Association of REALTORS® 2021 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends report. That’s a larger share of buyers than any other generation currently.
Obviously many Millennials are willing to do whatever it takes to save up and buy a home. And, according to this New York Times article, 39% of them are even willing to stop buying avocado toast! But they’re willing to give up a lot of other things as well.
According to the 2019 survey mentioned in that article, here are 12 things Millennials are willing to do, or give up, in order to own their dream home:
1. 9% would break up with their partner
Sometimes finding a new spouse is easier than being able to buy your dream house! That said, the majority of Millennials cherish their significant others enough to live in a tiny love shack, than to ditch ‘em for a huge home without love in their life.
2. 13% would give up sex for 10 years
Considering Millennials are still on the younger side, 10 years without doin’ the deed is quite a sacrifice! But 13% of them would rather abstain in order to own their dream domain.
3. 16% would give up sex for 5 years
Ten years was a bit too long for some people, but five years without hanky panky was doable for 3% more of those surveyed.
4. 25% would do jail time
A quarter of those surveyed would trade a week of “3 hots and a cot” behind bars if it meant they could have home cooked meals and a bed in their dream home at the end of it.
5. 28% would survive in the wild
Livin’ off the land for a week appealed to 28% of Millennials, if it meant they’d be livin’ on some land of their own after a week in the wild.
6. 29% would give up their iPhone forever
29% of them would say “Bye phone!” to their iPhone forever, in order to say “Hi home!” for the rest of their lives. Granted, they’re not saying they’ll entirely forgo a smartphone of some sort, but for Apple devotees, this is a pretty big deal.
7. 36% would give up brunch forever
Over a third of Millennials would forgo mimosas and eggs benedict forever, if it meant they could buy their dream home. It’s easy to dismiss how big of a sacrifice this is considering they can still eat breakfast and lunch; they just can’t combine them in one sitting. However, think about the FOMO they’ll have when their besties are brunching without ‘em!
8. 39% would never eat avocado toast again
It’s become a bit of a joke that Millennials could afford to buy a house if they’d simply stop eating avocado toast. When that advice first came out, they were quick to point out that the savings were a ridiculous drop in the bucket and would barely help. Regardless, if it truly meant they could raise a toast to having bought a house, they’d gladly say no to the avocado toast.
9. 38% would run a marathon
Saving up to buy a house is a marathon, not a sprint, but 38% of them would crank out 26.2 grueling miles in order to speed up the pace to owning their dream place.
10. 42% would listen to ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ for a week
42% would get earwormed by “Where did you come from, where did you go?” for a week straight if they could answer it with, “I came from a crappy rental, and moved into the home of my dreams!”
11. 47% would never post on Instagram again
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47% would be willing to keep their selfies to themselves, if not posting on Instagram would get them the home of their dreams. If their friends and followers want to see what the place looks like, they’re just gonna have to visit in real life! (Ideally with a housewarming gift…)
12. 48% would give up Chipotle forever
As near and dear as Chipotle is to many Millenials, they’d be willing to not only hold the guac, but their entire order at Chipotle for the rest of their lives in order to obtain their dream home. Fortunately, no matter where their dream house is, they can always run for the border and place an order at Taco Bell if they’re craving some Mexican fast food.
