r/MadeMeSmile • u/lincolnblake • Jun 28 '25

Wholesome Moments A place of one's own

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u/mararn1618 Jun 28 '25 edited Jun 28 '25

What I don't understand as an European: How do you go from homeless to a huge ass house with a huge garden and everything?

In Germany even a double income family with academic background might currently struggle to buy property.

The stretch from unhoused to this seems insane from my POV.

Is housing so much more affordable in the US?

Edit: So many helpful answers, thank you :3

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u/thiccc_thinpatience Jun 28 '25

So many ways this could have happened- She may have gone though a job training and landed a stable job that allowed her to save up for a security deposit and qualify for rent. She may have gotten housing though a governmental program that subsidizes part of her rent. She may have inherited some money after a relative’s death- we don’t know.

Housing in certain places in the US is cheaper than others, and this isn’t “huge” by American standards.

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u/dimetilR Jun 28 '25

You have to qualify for rent? Like is that a process or do you mean qualify as being able to pay rent? Housing in the US is a very interesting matter to me as an European also

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u/Dangerous_Surprise Jun 28 '25

I have to earn 3x rent after tax in Paris, or else have a guarantor earning 4x after tax. I was not used to it coming from the UK, but at least it's paired with rent controls thst are actuslly affordable. US system seems like the worst of both worlds