You don't have to venture far to hear about how millennials are struggling in some fashion or other to join the American dream of homeownership.
Millennials, who roughly fall between the ages of 18-34, are cited as being one of the key roadblocks to a full housing market recovery.
But we have complete justification.
Laurie Goodman, center director for the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute, said the staggering amount of student loan debt is the bigger deciding factor when it comes to home purchases, rather than a generational shift in living preferences.
"The amount of student loan debt was $221 billion in 2003, and it's close to over $1 trillion in 2013," she said. "The cost is delaying people from forming households and buying first homes."
An article in MarketWatch pinpointed 4 reasons young Americans are staying out of the housing market:
1. Unemployment and low savings
In April, the unemployment rate for 18-to-29-year-olds was 9.1%.
2. Low credit scores
Millennials hold the status of having the lowest credit scores.
3. Student Debt
On average, graduating seniors with student loans had debt levels of $29,400 in 2012, up 25% from $23,450 in 2008.
4. Delaying marriage, family
Back in 1950, the median age of first marriage was about 21 for women and 24 for men, compared to 27 for women and 29 for men now.
However, as a reporter who is well aware of the housing market and a millennial myself, I would like to take a moment to say that although these facts ring very true, there are exceptions — like me.
While I don't own a home yet, I'm on the cusp of turning 22 and I have friends the same age who are buying houses and taking on their first mortgage payment. I know this isn't everyone, but I want to take a moment to give credit to my generation.
This video says it all.
