For many, buying a house is a dream. Some save years to buy their first home and some end up taking home loans in their early age to fulfil their dream. However entrepreneur, author and personal finance educator Ankur Warikoo, known for sharing insights on money management and life decisions suggested the best time to buy a home is at 40. In a recent social media post, he and his wife, Ruchi Warikoo, explained the reason behind why they bought their first home at 40 rather than at 25 or 30. With their post, they not only challenged the common belief that the earlier you buy a house, the better but also explained the reason behind.Why 40?Ankur Warikoo in the post said they bought their first home at 40. For many Indians, buying a house is a milestone. It is said that the earlier you buy, the better. Young professionals are encouraged to save for a down payment, take a home loan and start building an asset as soon as they start their career.But Ankur Warikoo shares a different perspective. He explained why he and his wife, Ruchi Warikoo and explained his decision with three reasons:By 40, they knew where they wanted to put down rootsAs per his post, in your 20s, the future can looks very uncertain because you are still figuring out life. It looks very different from what you imagined. A new job may take you to Mumbai, and a promotion may bring an opportunity in Kolkata, or an overseas assignment can make you shift base to another country all together. Even after marriage, a couple’s professional ambitions can change where they want to live.Buying a house during this phase can mean making a long-term commitment before knowing whether the location will suit their future.Warikoo said that by the time he and his wife reached 40, they knew they wanted to live in Delhi, India. That clarity was important to buy a home there.As he explained, their priorities had changed. They no longer needed to keep the same flexibility they might have wanted at 25 or 30. And that is an important consideration for young homebuyers in India. Waiting until one’s long-term location becomes clearer can help avoid buying a home simply because everyone else seems to be doing so.Affordability is better and they could finally buy the home they wanted
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For most of us, a house is often an emotional purchase. But practically speaking, the money involved is anything but emotional. For most buyers, it means years of savings and a substantial down payment.And this is Warikoo’s second reason as by 40, he and his wife could afford both the down payment and the monthly equated monthly instalment (EMI). At 25 or 30, the same property would have been beyond their budget.It is important to understand that there is a difference between being eligible for a home loan and being able to comfortably manage the EMIs per month.Apart from the EMI, homebuyers must also consider the cost for registration and stamp duty, maintenance charges, furnishing and other expenses that come along with buying a house.Warikoo’s experience is not an argument against buying property in one’s 20s or 30s. Rather, it highlights the value of matching a purchase to one’s financial capacity instead of stretching one’s finances to meet an age-based milestone.Having children helped them understand what kind of home they needed
Ankur Warikoo (Instagram)
Another very important factor that played a role in their decision was that the couple had a better understanding of their family’s needs by the time they reached 40.Their requirements were no longer hypothetical. They knew what kind of apartment they wanted, which locality appealed to them and what sort of surroundings would suit their family.Warikoo described the property as a “very premium apartment” and explained that having children and reaching a more settled stage of life had helped them identify their preferred home and neighbourhood.This is something many homebuyers discover only after living in a property for a few years.A young professional may be happy with a compact apartment close to the office. A couple planning to have children may eventually need an additional bedroom, more storage, a safe outdoor area or access to schools and healthcare facilities. Families with ageing parents may prioritise lifts, accessibility and proximity to relatives.What happens in early 20s and 30sIn their 20s and early 30s, people are often still discovering these preferences. Waiting can provide a clearer picture of what they need rather than what looks attractive on paper.Of course, having children does not automatically mean someone should postpone buying a home. For many families, owning a suitable property early provides stability. The point is to understand one’s circumstances rather than assume that one timeline works for everyone.So, should you wait until 40 to buy your first home?
First house (Canva)
Not necessarily. Warikoo’s story is best understood as a personal lesson in timing, not a universal financial rule.Buying early can offer advantages and the decision should depend on income stability, savings, existing debt, future plans and the cost of owning the property. Buyers should also consider whether they can continue investing for retirement and maintain an emergency fund after paying their housing expenses.For Warikoo and Ruchi, waiting meant that they could buy a home aligned with their location preferences, financial position and family needs. Their experience offers a reminder that owning a house is not simply about reaching a milestone before a certain birthday.
