Is Kylie Jenner, 17, Too Young to Buy Her Own Multimillion Dollar Home?
Photo: Crisnet
Celebrity kids live fast so it’s not surprising to hear that 17-year-old Kylie Jenner is moving out of her mother’s home and into her very own $2.7 million dollar mansion.
The 4,851-square-foot house in Calabasas, CA, has five bedrooms, an indoor theatre and a spa, according to the real estate website Curbed. Plenty of room for a teenager to spread her wings.
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Photo: Crisnet
The move may make sense, given the amount of freedom granted to teenage celebrities (travel opportunities, early careers, romantic relationships), however, regardless of one’s living situation or financial means, is living alone at such a young age wise — or necessary?
For starters, the age at which a person becomes an adult is older than you may think. According to the New York Times, “Neuroscientists now know that brain maturation continues far later into development than had been believed previously. Significant changes in brain anatomy and activity are still taking place during young adulthood, especially in prefrontal regions that are important for planning ahead, anticipating the future consequences of one’s decisions, controlling impulses, and comparing risk and reward. Indeed, some brain regions and systems do not reach full maturity until the early or mid-20s.”
Photo: Crisnet
Homeowners also have to consider big-picture issues — will I live in the home for many years? Do I have good credit and a high income? Am I ready for the responsibility of home repairs? For celebrities with flexible lives and recourses, such questions may not bear much weight. After all, if Jenner’s toilet breaks or she wants to move in a year, she can hire a handyman or a team of business people to sort out the logistics.
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Of course, Kylie was born into a wealthy family and earned a paycheck by working on the television show Keeping Up with The Kardashians. But having the funds to buy a home isn’t always enough of a reason, says Fran Walfish, PsyD, a Beverly Hills based psychotherapist. “In general, most 17-year-olds haven’t yet developed the emotional maturity to be homeowners,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. “Signing that dotted line is an action that can signify independence but without doing the psychological legwork, it’s not a genuine milestone.”
Photo: Crisnet
Before buying a home, a young person might learn to balance his or her checkbook, build a solid credit score, or amass a sizable savings account. It’s possible that Kylie has done all these things but according to Walfish, it’s common for kids with wealthy parents to skip the authentic sweat and labor required to achieve big goals.
Curiously, Kylie’s home is just one block away from older sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian, both of whom have been known to assume a mother figure role with their younger siblings. So, if Kylie gets homesick, she’s won’t have to travel far.
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