Home ownership is perhaps the strongest dividing line between Millennials and Gen X (of similar socioeconomic status).

My lack of home ownership pains me most days and I have been struggling to find the words to write about it for years.

As someone who straddles the line between the two gens - turning 40 later this year - it feels like my biggest personal failure.

I was prompted to finally write this because of a convo @ohdessa had with a Gen X'er who I'd consider a peer.

They were unable to understanding why their 30-something coworkers would live with their parents when "you only need to save up $1000 to buy a house."

AFAIK this hasn't been true since the 70s but this exemplifies the attitude of Gen X+.

Gen X assumes if you are 30+ and you don't own a home you are "bad with money" (and the host of _very_ negative things that implies).

In my case, this could not be further from reality. Even so, I struggle to accept that I don't suck.

I identify with Gen X but landed in the world of Millennials.

Millennials, on the other hand, generally question why you would even want to own a home.

While this attitude is problematically shortsighted (in the most millennial way), at least it doesn't question your moral character.

In conclusion,

Gen X can do better to be more understand and compassionate, lest you get punches to the face.

There! I feel a little better getting that off my chest.