Why Americans, unlike Russians, do not leave housing for children as an inheritance

“My parents are selling their house, they lived there for 25 years... They don’t want to buy a new one, they will rent. They plan to live in New York, where my brother moved. Then to Hawaii, where they spent their honeymoon. Well, then to the state that I, the most undecided, choose to live in,” the light brown eyes of the American Claire beam with laughter from the smartphone screen.

Photo: Shutterstock

Claire's parents are 55, the same house has long been owned: the mortgage has already been paid.

Like this, do not leave the inheritance of the house for children? Instead, spend money on rent? Then my Russian mentality creaked strongly.

Claire is surprised:

“What, in Russia you often leave a house as an inheritance to children? What is this connected with?

On the subject: 6 things unusual for our immigrants that are in every American home

"HM interesting! — Claire perked up. — We don’t have such a tradition. And I don’t associate myself with my parents’ house, it’s their property. It’s more important for me to be independent..."

Indeed, I think part of the answer lies in this. In America, children from the age of 17 move into a dormitory or rent housing with friends, which their parents strongly support. Living with a 25-year-old child here is unusual. Apparently, this is why there is a strict division: mine is the parent’s.

“I don’t plan to live in Miami full time,” Claire continues. “Why get attached to one place and one house?”

In this, in my opinion, another part of the solution is a different mentality.

For an American, owning a home is not as valuable as it is for a Russian. It is more popular to rent apartments in favor of mobility. And then it's easy to call them "my house." Well, changing the state and city several times in a couple of years is generally a common thing.

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Well, the third point - investment accounts are very common in the USA, which open to a child literally from birth. Unlike Russia, where real estate is still considered the best investment for many.

And what do you think, is it necessary to leave a house as a legacy to children?

Original column published on the blog. Dumb America on Yandex.Zen.

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