34-Year-Old Chooses Early Retirement Savings Over Buying a Home
Anita Kinoshita, now 34, began her financial journey in 2020 when she was 28. Living in California and making about $70,000 a year as a software engineer for the Department of Defense, she thought buying a house was the next responsible step. Coming from a farming family in Mexico, she saw homeownership as a way to fulfill the American dream her family hoped for her.
Kinoshita initially wanted to buy a property where she could sublet rooms to reduce her expenses. With around $20,000 saved for a down payment, she took steps toward that goal. At the time, she cared about what her community considered successful, and owning a home fit that image.
She enrolled in Financial Peace University, a nine-week online course about money management. During a retirement planning section, she used a calculator that showed her increasing her 401(k) contributions could help her retire by 55 and still afford to buy a house.
For two years, she explored the housing market, viewing more than a dozen homes and making four offers. She was accepted once, but the sellers later withdrew. Another deal fell through due to appraisal issues. Kinoshita found the competitive market required investing less and saving more, which she wasn’t willing to do. She realized she felt like she was living her father’s dream rather than her own.
Shifting her focus, Kinoshita set a goal of saving $500,000 in retirement accounts. By April 2022, she had $200,000 invested and reached COAST FIRE, a stage where she could stop contributing while her investments continued to grow. Feeling ready, she quit her full-time job.
Since leaving her software engineering role, Kinoshita took on part-time work developing curriculum for California State University, Monterey Bay, and creating financial literacy content online, earning more than before.
She plans to reach early COAST FIRE, aiming to retire by 45 with $1.5 million invested. Kinoshita explains she values her time and freedom more than homeownership. Buying a house back then might have made her feel trapped in her job.
Kinoshita and her husband recently moved into a rented single-family home in a desirable California gated community. They pay $4,000 monthly in rent. They expect to save around $300,000 for a future home but are in no rush to buy. To her, a home is a luxury, not an asset, and she prefers her money working in the stock market.
Her dream home today is smaller with charming architecture, in a beautiful and safe neighborhood where she can see nature. She wants to take her time finding the right place and not settle for less.
Kinoshita’s story reflects a growing trend. The median age for first-time home buyers rose from 35 in 2023 to 38 in 2024, showing that many people are postponing homeownership in favor of other financial goals.
As Kinoshita puts it, she wants to live free and enjoy her time rather than rush into buying a home. Her approach shows a thoughtful balance between safety, independence, and financial security.
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