That got your attention… didn’t it!

Last weekend I went to our favourite restaurant in Leamore (North Walsall) with the family.  The owner is a client of mine and so, in between the Biryani and Nan Bread naturally, we started talking about our favourite subject… the Walsall property market.  He informed me that he was a Millennial which is a term I’m familiar with but then he also told me that I was a Generation X!  I had to look this up when I got home as I thought he was teasing me at first.

What is Generation X, let alone Generation Z, Millennials, Baby Boomers…?  These are phrases banded around about the different life stages of our society.  When terminologies like this are used as often and habitually as these phrases (i.e. Gen X this, Millennial that etc.), it appears particularly vital we have some practical idea of what these terms actually mean.  The fact is that everyone uses these phrases, but often, like myself, they are not exactly sure where the lines are drawn… until now…

So, for clarity …

Generation Z:             Born after 1996

Millennials:                 Born 1977 to 1995

Generation X:             Born 1965 to 1976

Baby Boomers:           Born 1946 to 1964

Silent Generation:      Born 1945 and before

My research shows there are 21,361 households in Walsall owned by Walsall Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) and Walsall’s Silent Generation (born 1945 and before).  It also shows there are 44,697 Generation X’s of Walsall (Walsall people born between 1965 to 1976).  Looking at demographics, homeownership statistics and current life expectancy, around two-thirds of those Walsall 44,697 Generation X’s have parents and grandparents who own those 21,361 Walsall properties.

… and they will profit from one of the biggest inheritance explosions of any post-war generation to the tune of £6.179bn of Walsall property or £184,676 each but they will have to wait until their early 60’s to get it!

However, it’s the Millennials that are in line for an even bigger inheritance windfall.

There are 37,475 Millennials in Walsall and my research shows around two thirds of them are set to inherit the 26,792 Walsall Generation X’s properties.  Those Generation X’s Walsall homes are worth £7.475bn meaning, on average, each Millennial will inherit £298,190; but not until at least 2040 to 2060!

While the Walsall Millennials have done far less well in amassing their own savings and assets, they are more likely to take advantage of an inheritance boom in the years to come.  This will probably be very welcome news for those Walsall Millennials, including some from poorer upbringings who in the past would have been unlikely to receive gifts and legacies.

However, inheritance is not the magic weapon that will get the Millennials on to the Walsall housing ladder or tackle growing wealth cracks in UK society, as the inheritance is unlikely to be made available when they are trying to buy their first home… but before all you Walsall Millennials start running up debts, over 50% of females and around 35% of men are going to have to pay for nursing home care.  Interestingly, I read recently that a quarter of people who have to pay for their care, run out of money.

So, if you are a Walsall Millennial there may potentially be nothing left for you.

Of course, most parents want to give their children an inheritance, the consideration that what you have worked genuinely hard for over your working life won’t go to your children to help them through their lives is a really awful one… maybe that is why I am seeing a lot of Walsall grandparents doing something meaningful, and helping their grandchildren, the Millennials, with the deposit for their first house.

One solution to the housing crisis in Walsall (and the UK as a whole) is if grandparents, where they are able to, help financially with the deposit for a house.  Buying is cheaper than renting – we have proved it many times in these articles… so, it’s not a case of not affording the mortgage, the issue is raising the 5% to 10% mortgage deposit for these Millennials.

Maybe families should be distributing a part of the family wealth now (in the form of helping with house deposits) as opposed to waiting to the end… it will make so much more of a difference to everyone in the long run.

Just a thought…?  What do you think?

Phone: 01922 311016

Email: salekm@ashmorelettings.co.uk