The rise of the middle-aged upsizer

Middle age is often when thoughts of downsizing start making themselves known. Children you have lovingly raised will move out. Empty rooms start feeling unnecessary. A smaller, less expensive home may mean more money for travel and luxuries, and reduce the need for the 9 to 5. Sound appealing?

The traditional property trajectory, however, is being redefined. More people in their 40s and 50s – even older in some cases – are finding they actually need a bigger home as they head towards their twilight years. The reason? Well, it’s a double pronged attack. 

The boomerang generation is alive and well. It’s the phrase coined to describe young adults that fly the family nest, only to return, unplanned, at a later stage in life. The most recent round of evidence is compelling. Analysis completed by the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex concluded that 15% of 21- to 35-year-olds ‘boomeranged’ back to the family home at least once after leaving between 2009 and 2020.

Then there are the young adults who are not leaving home in the first place and it’s a deepening issue. Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) research from 2025 revealed the proportion of UK adults in their 20s and 30s co-residing with their parents increased by more than a third over the last two decades. At the latest count, the IFS found nearly half (around 43%) of 25-year-olds in the UK lived with their parents. 

The ‘Hotel of Mum and Dad’

Why are more young adults living in the family home? It’s a complex matter and one not exclusively down to parents feathering the nest. Of course, there will be a proportion of young adults who love the home comforts of ‘Hotel of Mum and Dad’ – a phrase used by the IFS – but the wider world for Millennials and Generation Z is challenging.

The job market isn’t great, post-graduation debts are high and the prospect of saving for a deposit while renting is slim for many – all conspiring to keep young adults at home. And the boomerang generation? Partially fuelled by those returning from travelling but also by relationship break ups, poor mental health and unexpected financial hardship.

If space was at a premium when your children were little, the squeeze will be even greater when accommodating them as adults. And maybe their partners. And even grandchildren. The statistics point to young adults lodging in the family home for longer making the rise of the middle aged upsizer a reality.

Room to co-exist

Adult children come with adult needs. Privacy, quiet space and a sense of self, as well as practical elements such as a place to park a car, their own bathroom and maybe a corner to work from home. When you couple this with the needs of the parents – some of which may be a mirror, others that may be a jarring contrast – the existing family home might not meet everyone’s needs.

An upsizing checklist may contain: the desire for an annexe; potential for a loft or a garage conversion; two separate entrances; more bathrooms, extra reception rooms, a garden room, a home office or even a complete rethink about location. And who will bear the financial cost? 

Can’t we just buy a property together?

Technically adult children can buy a property with their parents. Up to four names can be put on the title deeds, and up to four names can be listed on a mortgage agreement. Although the latter can boost spending power, as multiple incomes can be considered, there can be legal and financial complications. 

These primarily revolve around deposit contributions, ownership percentages, retirement plans, equity release, selling up, the involvement of future partners and affordability during financial hardship. If you want to explore intergenerational property buying, we urge you to seek legal advice first.

If you and your family find yourself in a cohabiting conundrum, get in touch. We can talk through your property options, from finding a bigger home for everyone to helping your first born get on the property ladder.