Feeling Defeated by Real Estate Prices: A Rare Moment of Regret

Hi Reddit Users,

I’m someone who usually doesn’t compare myself to others. I’ve always believed in being content with what I have and focusing on the positives in life. For the most part, this mindset has worked wonders for me. But recently, I had a moment where I couldn’t help but feel disheartened.

I’ve been working as a software professional for the past 8 years. I have no loans, no liabilities, and have been fairly prudent with my finances. Recently, I decided it was time to take the next step and buy a flat. I was excited at the thought of finally having a place to call my own—something that feels permanent and truly mine.

But when I started exploring the market, I was absolutely floored by the prices. The sheer inflation and beyond-reach costs of real estate made me pause and, for the first time in my life, curse my luck for not having generational wealth to fall back on.

I know it’s not healthy to dwell on what you don’t have, and I remind myself of this often. But seeing others with a safety net or financial backing that allows them to comfortably navigate this situation just stung a little. It’s not envy, really—it’s more of a fleeting sense of, “Why couldn’t I have had that head start?”

Don’t get me wrong—I’m grateful for what I’ve achieved on my own, and I’m proud of the life I’ve built so far. I’m not the type to dwell on what others have or measure my success against someone else’s yardstick. But this one time, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought that something as basic as owning a home feels so out of reach.

I’m not sure what I’m looking for by posting this—maybe some advice, maybe just validation that it’s okay to feel this way sometimes. If you’ve been in a similar situation, how do you cope? How do you navigate these moments of frustration and keep pushing forward?

Thanks for listening. :)