Expectation versus reality: Divided opinions over 'ideal age' to buy your first home

The results of a new survey shows there are notable discrepancies between Irish society's opinions on the ideal age that people should buy their first home and the difficult reality that young people face in actually making such a step.

Conducted by Royal London Ireland, 1,000 adults were surveyed nationwide and the findings show there is a general consensus surrounding expectations of moving out of the family home - one which does not seem to match reality. 

What do the figures reveal?

Over 46% of those surveyed said that the best age to purchase a first home is between the ages of 25 and 29. According to the most recent data available from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), this is a decade younger than the national average of 39 years. 

Meanwhile, just over 36% of those surveyed said they believe the ideal age is between 30 and 34 while just 7% consider it to be between 35 and 39. 

When it comes to moving out (of the family home), almost half of respondents (47%) surveyed said that under 25 is the best age to move out of home, while four in ten (42%) say that between 25 and 29 is ideal.

Evidently, 89% of people surveyed said that by the time you have reached the age of 30, you should have been able to move out of your family home.

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The reality in Ireland, however, is quite different. Lorraine Ivory-Corr of Royal London Ireland Waterford said: "The findings indicate a discrepancy between societal expectations and real-world circumstances. It's clear that while nine in ten people advocate leaving home by 30, practical challenges such as housing affordability and financial constraints often leave individuals no choice but to continue living at home."

Other notable findings from the research note that men are slightly more likely to believe the ideal age for buying a home is below 30 (59% male vs. 52% female respondents). 

Generational divide in opinion

The research also found a noticeable generational gap when it comes to the issue of opinions on ideal ages to purchase homes. Those above the age of 55 were more inclined to believe that people should own their own home in their 20s, compared to those aged between 25-34 (64% vs. 50% respectively). 

Lorraine Ivory-Corr noted that: “Life was vastly different for older generations, now over the age of 55, compared to today. In the 1970s, average house prices were €14,162, and in the 1980s, they were €45,223, according to historical data, compared to 2024's figures of €330,000. The context for buying is also very different given wage inflation has not kept up with house price inflation – according to CSO the average industrial worker needs more than seven times their salary to buy a house today, compared to four-and-a-half times their salary in 19736.

"Such substantial changes in housing affordability and the purchasing power of consumers undoubtedly shape the housing realities for different generations."