Only Young People From Rich Families Can Afford Houses

Confirming what you’ve long suspected but been too polite to ask, the only friends inviting you to housewarming parties are the ones whose parents gave them the down payment.

A recent report from Zillow titled The Double Lucky Three Percent shows that of the 46 percent of millennials who pursue post-secondary education, about 61 percent get help from mom and dad with the expenses. That right there can give them a leg up when it comes time to consider buying, as they won’t be as weighed down by crushing student debt.

And that’s a lot of young people. Zillow found about 5.3 million renters interested in buying a home during the next year, but many couldn’t save the money. The burden of monthly student loan payments at an average of $280, combined with stagnant wages, leaves little room for savings.

As The Atlantic reports, the double-lucky youngsters Zillow’s talking about are those whose parents get them through school and have money left over to help with a home’s down payment. Zillow calls it the “funnel of privilege.” Rich parents give you the jump on being rich yourself. So if you do get invited to one of those house warming parties, don’t feel too bad about raiding the beer in the fridge.