Helping the Next Generation Own a Home

Homeownership may feel out of reach for many younger buyers, especially in expensive markets, but it is still possible—with creativity, planning, and family support. Mortgage veteran Peter Zevenbergen outlines how you can make homeownership achievable while helping families build lasting generational wealth.

quick Tips for Mortgage Professionals

  • Deepen Your Knowledge: Study estate planning, taxation, and wealth transfer strategies.

  • Partner with Financial Advisors: Build trust by co-creating plans for multi-generational wealth.

  • Become a Strategic Resource: Don’t just sell loans—solve complex financial problems

1. Reframe the Challenge as an Opportunity

  • Why: Homeownership is more valuable because it’s harder to attain.

  • How: Recommend a financial planner early to help build a plan that works.

2. Support adult Children Now, Not Just Through Inheritance

  • Action: Parents can provide financial help while alive, leveraging growth potential.

  • Tool: Peter’s upcoming book Parents of Future Homeowners will serve as a guide for this process.

3. Consider recommending These Creative Strategies:

  • Subsidize Monthly Payments
    Instead of gifting a large down payment, parents can co-sign and subsidize part of the mortgage monthly—scaling back as the child’s income grows.

  • Use Annual Gifts to Fund Retirement While Owning
    A $1M home + $23K/year gift = child builds home equity and retirement wealth simultaneously.

  • Leverage Reverse Mortgages
    For older parents, unlocking home equity via reverse mortgages can fund a child’s home purchase without hurting retirement security.

4. Keep the “150-Mile Umbilical Cord” in Mind

  • Many families want to stay geographically close.

  • Financial planning should account for long-term proximity, caregiving, and housing needs across generations.

5. Run a “Strength Builder” Exercise

  • Let young buyers live at home and “pay rent” equivalent to a mortgage for a year.

    • Helps build down payment and instills discipline.

6. Think Creatively About Living Situations

  • Examples:

    • Use your house as a hack duplex or add an ADU.

    • Live in an RV on family property during the purchase process.

    • Downsize temporarily to gain buying flexibility.

Final Thought

Helping younger generations buy homes today—rather than waiting for inheritance—builds both financial security and stronger family ties. Through smart planning and collaboration, the American Dream is not only possible—it can be a powerful tool for long-term generational wealth.