Over the years, more college students and graduates in South Florida have chosen to stay in their family homes rather than move out. According to a report from the real estate firm Redfin, Miami is the second-most unaffordable city in the US. The average cost of houses in South Florida is over $ 600,000, 50% above the national average.
For many college students, the dream of living away from parents during college is not a reality. Florida International University student Alberto Hernandez, 25, is still living with his family; he believes it’s less of a choice and more of a necessity.
“It just keeps getting higher,” said Hernandez, referring to the housing costs. “I notice more and more with people like me, we live with three or more people. Everybody’s paying, everybody’s contributing to pay.”
Even for employed graduate students, their degree isn’t enough to get a job that makes enough for the average rent price. Software engineer Alejandro Cosano, 25, who graduated from FIU last year, prefers to stay with his parents.
“I basically live with them because it doesn’t make too much sense to allocate most of my income to rent that does not contribute to me,” said Cosano. “I will end up having very little income to myself.”
