I'm from NYC where long term renting is relatively normal. I finally gave in in my mid-30s and bought a condo here, and when I sold it years later to move to a larger place, I wound up taking a $50k loss that I couldn't write off for all the money I had put into it for repairs and renovations and a totally flat market. I'd have been better just renting and not dealing with the structural stuff. I'm now thorough sick to death of my townhouse that is always needing something. I'd love to get off with just a rent check and have all the rest be someone else's problem. I just want to call the super.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would probably think you don't want to settle down. We are mid 30's with 2 kids and 1 on the way. We have 2 homes and 3 cars and funding retirement and college funds.

Isn't that nice.

I was just implying that when you are married with kids, you tend to be more focused on security. You have different needs and goals. Men tend to work harder when they have families to support.

My single friends are not thinking about paying for college for 3 kids. They don't need a big house with enough bedrooms to allow family to come visit their grandchildren.

How precious. Those of us who are single, we don't need security - nope, we can throw caution to the wind our whole lives bc it's not like we need a roof over our heads or food. Hate to break it to you but single people want and need security too and work damn hard for it.

You are on a website called DC Urban Mom. Not sure why you are even on this site asking parents what we think of single mid 30's people who don't own a home. Pretty much everyone we know is married with kids in their mid-late 30's and own homes.

If you haven't found your match, you probably have standards that are too high, are a womanizer or not a good catch. Few unicorns are amazing and every single women 20-50 will be in their dating pool and want to marry them.

You may not have gotten the memo but this isn't a 'Mommy website' anymore. It hasn't been for some time. A variety of people post to the forums.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In their mid 30s. Professional/white collar job. Single - no kids. STILL living in a 1 bedroom apartment.

(No I'm not judging others -- this is MY situation and I'd like to know what impressions others have of me bc from the questions/comments I've gotten, I have a feeling people DO have an opinion about this.)

I would think you're either lazy or scared and don't have any interest in getting your life together. It's not just the house thing but also the fact that you're single at this age with no kids. You're delaying the most important experiences of the average person's life, and probably building wealth more slowly. I have a relative like this, and she is scared of making any important decisions in life.

A single mid-30's person could very much have their life together. It may not be the life you would choose for yourself, but that doesn't make their choice any less valid. It's also not a sign of laziness to marry later or not at all, anymore than it is a sign of desperation and inability to live independently to marry early. People with outlooks like yours can stay in life situations that don't suit them for years because of fear of looking like they don't have it all together. Don't contribute to that problem.

Well said, all of it. The insecurity problems in this area is just insane. They hold on to these bizarre views and life standards even if they're miserable. They don't seem to understand the message of what works for you doesn't work for others.

Oh please. A person asking what people on an anonymous forum think of their single, mid 30s existence is not insecure and we are? I would never dream of doing this because I'm satisfied with my decisions, and I would discuss any issues I had with family and friends, not strangers. That being said, having a partner, buying a house, and having kids are normal and universal life events, and you'd find people all over the world would judge OP even more harshly than here. If anything, there are more insecure idiots in this area rushing to infantilize and defend people like OP and their failure to grow up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would probably think you don't want to settle down. We are mid 30's with 2 kids and 1 on the way. We have 2 homes and 3 cars and funding retirement and college funds.

Isn't that nice.

I was just implying that when you are married with kids, you tend to be more focused on security. You have different needs and goals. Men tend to work harder when they have families to support.

My single friends are not thinking about paying for college for 3 kids. They don't need a big house with enough bedrooms to allow family to come visit their grandchildren.

How precious. Those of us who are single, we don't need security - nope, we can throw caution to the wind our whole lives bc it's not like we need a roof over our heads or food. Hate to break it to you but single people want and need security too and work damn hard for it.

You are on a website called DC Urban Mom. Not sure why you are even on this site asking parents what we think of single mid 30's people who don't own a home. Pretty much everyone we know is married with kids in their mid-late 30's and own homes.

If you haven't found your match, you probably have standards that are too high, are a womanizer or not a good catch. Few unicorns are amazing and every single women 20-50 will be in their dating pool and want to marry them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In their mid 30s. Professional/white collar job. Single - no kids. STILL living in a 1 bedroom apartment.

(No I'm not judging others -- this is MY situation and I'd like to know what impressions others have of me bc from the questions/comments I've gotten, I have a feeling people DO have an opinion about this.)

I would think you're either lazy or scared and don't have any interest in getting your life together. It's not just the house thing but also the fact that you're single at this age with no kids. You're delaying the most important experiences of the average person's life, and probably building wealth more slowly. I have a relative like this, and she is scared of making any important decisions in life.

A single mid-30's person could very much have their life together. It may not be the life you would choose for yourself, but that doesn't make their choice any less valid. It's also not a sign of laziness to marry later or not at all, anymore than it is a sign of desperation and inability to live independently to marry early. People with outlooks like yours can stay in life situations that don't suit them for years because of fear of looking like they don't have it all together. Don't contribute to that problem.

Well said, all of it. The insecurity problems in this area is just insane. They hold on to these bizarre views and life standards even if they're miserable. They don't seem to understand the message of what works for you doesn't work for others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would probably think you don't want to settle down. We are mid 30's with 2 kids and 1 on the way. We have 2 homes and 3 cars and funding retirement and college funds.

Isn't that nice.

I was just implying that when you are married with kids, you tend to be more focused on security. You have different needs and goals. Men tend to work harder when they have families to support.

My single friends are not thinking about paying for college for 3 kids. They don't need a big house with enough bedrooms to allow family to come visit their grandchildren.

How precious. Those of us who are single, we don't need security - nope, we can throw caution to the wind our whole lives bc it's not like we need a roof over our heads or food. Hate to break it to you but single people want and need security too and work damn hard for it.

30s? I'd assume you were still saving on a single income. 40s? I'd assume you were financially immature.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would probably think you don't want to settle down. We are mid 30's with 2 kids and 1 on the way. We have 2 homes and 3 cars and funding retirement and college funds.

Isn't that nice.

I was just implying that when you are married with kids, you tend to be more focused on security. You have different needs and goals. Men tend to work harder when they have families to support.

My single friends are not thinking about paying for college for 3 kids. They don't need a big house with enough bedrooms to allow family to come visit their grandchildren.

Anonymous wrote:I would probably think you don't want to settle down. We are mid 30's with 2 kids and 1 on the way. We have 2 homes and 3 cars and funding retirement and college funds.

Isn't that nice.

I would probably think you don't want to settle down. We are mid 30's with 2 kids and 1 on the way. We have 2 homes and 3 cars and funding retirement and college funds.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In their mid 30s. Professional/white collar job. Single - no kids. STILL living in a 1 bedroom apartment.

(No I'm not judging others -- this is MY situation and I'd like to know what impressions others have of me bc from the questions/comments I've gotten, I have a feeling people DO have an opinion about this.)

I would think you're either lazy or scared and don't have any interest in getting your life together. It's not just the house thing but also the fact that you're single at this age with no kids. You're delaying the most important experiences of the average person's life, and probably building wealth more slowly. I have a relative like this, and she is scared of making any important decisions in life.

A single mid-30's person could very much have their life together. It may not be the life you would choose for yourself, but that doesn't make their choice any less valid. It's also not a sign of laziness to marry later or not at all, anymore than it is a sign of desperation and inability to live independently to marry early. People with outlooks like yours can stay in life situations that don't suit them for years because of fear of looking like they don't have it all together. Don't contribute to that problem.

I have two friends in their 40s who rent apartments. One is hoarding money. I know this because we have talked about it. The other spends foolishly and can barely afford to the swanky apartment she lives in. I know this because we have talked about it.

Everyone else I know who is single owns a condo or house.

I don't care either way if people own or rent, especially in DC.

I think they can't afford to own or they don't understand basic finance.

Uh, i have 2 kids and a busy job. You take up zero real estate in my brain.