Parental Guidance?

Most of the responses in “Readers Tell How They Bought First Homes” (June 25), should have been titled “How Mommy and Daddy Bought My First Home For Me.” Some even had the audacity to praise themselves on their independence and real estate savvy because of their smart purchases. Ha!

The story of the guy who was so proud because he bought his first home while he was still in college was enough to make me choke on my plastic spoon. He didn’t buy a first home, his parents bought another home and gave it to him. They probably also paid for his tuition, books and a car. I wonder if mommy did his laundry on the weekends, too.

The girl who moved back in with her parents and only paid the water bill was equally nauseating. Then they both proceeded to educate us “fools” on how to buy a house. Give me a break. The only thing those two could teach me is how to live off their parents.

Here’s a real “Bought First Home While Still in College” story: In April, my girlfriend, Gina Sparks, bought her first home by herself. She works full time, goes to school full time and has been financially independent since she was 17.

We lived together in an apartment in Azusa for a year until she found a place she could afford in an area we could tolerate. She bought a townhouse in Montclair (Ontario mailing address) from a friend before they put it on the market. She got a good price and assumed the loan, so the mortgage is not much more than our rent was at the apartment. We split all the costs 50-50, but it was her money for the down payment so the house is hers. The only parental assistance we received was her dad helped us move and my folks bought lunch for the gang on move day.

Don’t get me wrong, if I were you children in the article (and yes, you’re still children), I wouldn’t turn down an offer from my parents. But please don’t go telling Southern California how you bought a house.

PAUL SCHOWALTER

Ontario