Boomers saw the value of their homes go up exponentially and automatically assumed they are financial geniuses and have a right to lecture others.
They used the equity to scoop up starter homes and turn them into vacation rentals, forcing young families out of the market.
https://fortune.com/2025/11/13/average-homebuyer-59-years-old-senior-citizen-housing-market-affordability/
Now boomers are all like "whats' wrong with 50 year mortgages" and the kids are like "what's wrong with communism"
You're pretending that home ownership somehow dictates how prepared someone is for retirement.
Once children are grown and move away, most homeowners from the boomer generation will find themselves in retirement homes, condos, or nursing homes to live out their lives. Some might be fortunate enough to have their kids and their kid's family offer to provide them a place to live, but chances are, the home is sold, the equity is put in a retirement fund, and they use that to supplement Social Security Retirement or a government pension.
"In just 15 years, the average U.S. homebuyer went from 39 to 59 years old" Is that the fault of the boomers? Maybe it's the fault of government-guaranteed student loans, artificial economic stimulus by giving out free money funded by national debt, and spending political finances convincing voters that there's someone other than government who's to blame for their financial situation.
There are already threads here that highlighted and gave details on the housing bubbles, the reasons certain markets are inflated, and why here are fewer home buying opportunities for young buyers. But the issue is not home ownership. It's personal responsibility in saving for one's future.
One reason boomers relied so heavily on Real Estate as their primary means of saving for retirement was the promise that, over time, it would always appreciate. Also, the number of alternative savings investments were not as plentiful as today. Now, the cost of taxes, HOA or Condo fees, maintenance and insurance makes owning a home with no mortgage unaffordable for many retirees. They don't have $20K to have a roof re-shingled, $30K to have the plumbing that needs total replacement done, or $150 plus to renovate a kitchen or bathroom.
Younger generations have the opportunity to create retirement wealth other ways, including employer matches for contributions to a 401-K, profit sharing in the form of stock or retirement contributions, deferred tax payments on contributions, and low interest loans to borrow from savings to pay for renovations to a home or education for a child. Any interest on the loan goes right back into the retirement fund along with the principle payments, costing the borrower a small fixed fee for administering the loan.
Each generation has its challenges and its opportunities. I think the big difference is you see kids driving new BMWs they can't afford without a 7 year loan while their parents and grandparents are still driving a 10 year old Accord or Camry.