Moving Back Home Used to Be a Sign of Failure. Now It Shows Financial Savvy.

Samantha Stobo was fresh off a breakup and unable to afford her Manhattan two-bedroom alone. So the 29-year-old decided to move in with her mom in Miami until she could get back on her feet. She told herself it would only take a few months.

Now 33-years old, Stobo has no plans to move out.

“I thought it was going to be temporary,” Stobo said. “But it’s been three years now, and I love it.”

Living at home as a 20-something was once viewed as a failure to launch and even a source of embarrassment in a culture that places a premium on independence. That is no longer the case. Living at home is now often viewed as a sign of financial prudence, and for some, a long-term prospect.