Boomer Dad Paid $25K for His First Home in 1980. Now Admits To His Kids, 'This Isn't Just Expensive...It's Impossible.

Full headline: Boomer Dad Paid $25K for His First Home in 1980. Now Admits To His Kids, 'This Isn't Just Expensive...It's Impossible. You're Playing a Rigged Game'

For years, generational debates have been fueled by the same talking points: avocado toast, lazy work ethics, and complaints about "kids these days." But when it comes to housing, the clash between baby boomers and younger generations isn't just a culture war—it's a balance sheet problem.

A man recalled how his boomer father, born in the 1950s, would always tell him "kids today just don't work as hard." Back in 1980, that same dad and his mom bought their first home for $25,000. Their combined household income? $11,000. Just two years' worth of paychecks, and they were homeowners.

Fast forward to the present. When the son and his partner began house-hunting, his father insisted they were looking "way outside" their means. So the son challenged him: go find a house today at the price he thought was fair. Hours later, the boomer dad returned pale, admitting defeat. "This isn't just expensive... it's impossible. You're playing a rigged game."

Another user said their grandfather bought a six-bedroom home in 1970 for $40,000. Today, it's worth close to $950,000. When the younger family member adjusted that $40,000 for inflation—about $333,000 in 2025 dollars—the math still didn't add up. They asked their grandfather point blank if he'd sell the home for $333,000. His silence was telling.

It wasn't just one dad admitting prices are high. It was a recognition that the playing field has shifted. Wages haven't kept pace, mortgage requirements are stricter, and institutional buyers are outbidding families. What was once achievable in two years of income now looks like a lifetime of debt.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/boomer-dad-paid-25k-first-151630128.html?ICID=ref_fark&fr=yhssrp_catchall