Mortgage Affordability and Sandwich Generation Caregiving in U.S. Housing Market

A public relations professional from Maine relocated from California to support her aging mother, highlighting trends in housing affordability and caregiving responsibilities within the sandwich generation. After selling a high-cost condominium in California due to mortgage and HOA fees exceeding her budget, she returned to Maine where real estate costs were more manageable.

This move allowed her to regain first-time homebuyer status and leverage favorable mortgage rates. The purchase involved buying her mother's home, requiring a balance of mortgage expenses, home maintenance, and caregiving duties.

The case underscores the financial and practical considerations faced by those managing eldercare while maintaining personal and professional stability. It also reflects broader demographic and economic patterns influencing mortgage decisions and family care dynamics in U.S. housing markets.

The individual manages her mother's needs alongside her own mortgage and bills, illustrating a blend of financial planning and caregiving responsibilities that may become increasingly common as populations age. This situation highlights important aspects around mortgage affordability, homeownership costs including HOA fees, and the complex interplay between caregiving and financial management in a real estate context.