When Kristen Silton and her husband went house shopping several years ago, a fenced-in yard was high on their must-have list. The Atlanta couple, now 29, wanted a safe outdoor space for their mutt, Lola.
They’re among the one-third of millennials whose dog played a bigger role in their home purchase than any children or spouse, according to a recent survey by SunTrust Mortgage.
“Every millennial couple I know has a dog,” Silton says. “Everyone’s got a practice baby.”
Since they’ve moved into their house, Silton and her husband have had two children, ages 3 ½ and 1 ½. But it was Lola who drove the decision of what type of house to buy, and Lola who helped them learn how to budget for another’s needs.
Continue reading “Here’s how much your dog will cost you over its lifetime”
