I’m feeling like my fiancé (29M) and I (29F) are part of a minority of people in our circle that don’t want to be multiple property owners. It’s starting to alienate us from our friends. I have a huge issue with entertaining this idea that you can make “passive” income from an individual’s very active income – likely some 30% or so of it. We have friends who are well-off, successful in their careers, and they’re either already buying multi-family properties or licking their chops to start soon.
Did something change in recent years that is drawing more people to become landlords or is this part of becoming older/more successful? Even my parents, who are not multiple property owners, are surprised my fiancé and I don’t have a long-term plan to buy up more property. We argued that it was exploitive and were met with disagreement. We had friends who basically said “to each their own.”
I wish I understood why it bothers me so much. I’m trying to tell myself this isn’t a dealbreaker, but I’m getting overwhelmed at the way it’s presented unironically and considered almost impressive/pinnacle of success. I can’t pretend to be okay with it, but I can’t break up with all my friends.
Does anyone have a similar conflict and/or have any advice on how to grapple with what’s going on? I feel complicit in their actions and, when they talk about it, I just shut down.
Maybe I’m overreacting.