There seems to be a new line of thought running through this thread lately on which I'd like a bit of clarification.
To me it appears that people are saying that its perfectly ok for young people who are earning a decent salary to take a large amount of money from elderly people who more often than not have no equity to speak of apart from the value of their house. We're not talking about a couple of grand for a deposit, which is not unreasonable to ask for help with, we're talking about a large chunk of their mortgage.
That not only is this ok but that its also ok to take this money, not because these young people can't afford a home but because they want it in a particluar area and they want it now. They don't want to have to start off a few rungs below where they'd like to be and work towards it in the way that, oh I don't know, their parents did, they want it now.
Even if they paid their parents back they'd only be giving them back the money piecemeal and by the time its fully paid back its only use to their parents is so that they can leave it in their will.
Maybe its just me but I think that people who went through the crappy times in this country when jobs were scarce, taxation was around 60%, third level education cost thousands and mortgages were applied for in a kneeling position should be allowed to enjoy themselves if they find they are in a position to do so.
I don't blame the parents as they will generally subjugate their interests for those of their kids but their kids should have a sense of personal responsibility as well as repsonsibility towards their parents. If people keep going like this then a generation will die never having enjoyed the comforts and luxuries that their kids demand now.
That said, I still hold by my opinion that the rest of us should be grateful that southsiders are prepared to live in kennels that cost a fortune. Could you imagine how much more non southside houses would cost if these people brought their spending power out into the rest of the market. Plus the goverment must be taking a fortune in tax revenues from every hutch sold to these chumps.