I'm an only child. Buying a house with my mom felt like the smartest way to prepare for both our futures.

Owning a house with my mom hasn't been easy, but it's been a great way to prepare for the future. Kate Donati Last year, my mom and I bought a house together, despite not being the most natural of roommates. I never imagined owning a home at 28, but splitting the bills has made it cheaper than I imagined. The living situation has been a great way to prepare for both of our futures. As an only child , an occasional weekend slumber party was the longest I'd had to share a bedroom or bathroom — or anything, really — until I was a freshman in college. So last year, when my 62-year-old mom proposed putting her house on the market and us buying a place together, I was incredulous — I had no idea how that arrangement would work for us.