- In May 2020, my parents and I decided to buy a vacant plot and build a house for the three of us.
- As a Mexican-American, it is more culturally acceptable to live with my parents as an adult.
- There were some arguments and difficult conversations along the way, but everything worked out.
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This narrated essay is based on a conversation with Jonathan C., a 30-year-old elementary school teacher based in San Diego, California. According to Zillow, the median home price in San Diego was approximately $650,000 in May 2020. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’ve lived with my parents for the past 10 years, so in 2020, we decided to make a more permanent joint investment in our living situation.
When I moved back to his home in Southern California at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the three of us decided to look for a property I call “Fox Rural.” We wanted something outside of San Diego but still a short drive from downtown.
The decision to build a home came about when a vacant lot presented itself as being sold for a large discount by a divorced couple. We took the project in May 2020 and now the house is completed. We like it very much.
we wanted to avoid
There was a lot of pressure to avoid everything at the start of the pandemic. It was a fear-based decision at the time, but it has now paid off for various reasons. My parents covered 60% of the cost of the building, while I was responsible for the remaining 40%.
We’re a middle-class family, so we scored a standard two-story, five-bedroom Southern California home about 20 miles outside of San Diego for between $250,000 and $600,000.
My dad is a construction worker, so we saved a lot of money on the whole project by not hiring a contractor. His contacts helped us find great deals on plumbing, electricity, and more.
it became my job without a job
Like a lot of people, I lost my job in the early months of the pandemic, so I relied heavily on my savings from eight years ago. However, the lack of employment allowed me to really get involved in the construction process, for a year and a half I was without work.
My mother and I supervised the manufacturing process in 10-hour shifts. The beginning was the hardest because you are out there in a wasteland and standing around answering any questions the builders may have.
My parents and I have had many difficult arguments because we are all financially locked down in this house. The construction created a lot of tension as there were so many small issues that would arise. But since completion, we’ve been fine.
use your resources
Living with my parents as a full grown adult has been kind of cool. Now that I’m older and don’t go out most weekends, they’ve become two of my closest friends, and I’m really glad I can say that.
In America, the idea of 18 years old to move out or pay rent to your parents, and I find it so bizarre that a parent would do this to their own child. As a Mexican-American, growing up I was told to go to school and get a good job, then start helping the family.
As the youngest of their five children and a gay man without children, it feels like a blessing that we can help each other achieve this great feat. Now this will be the house I will grow old in.
Source: www.businessinsider.com
