Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Eight-Year-Old Australian Girl Shatters Records By Buying $440k Home
Eight-Year-Old Australian Girl Shatters Records By Buying $440k Home
221

Eight-Year-Old Australian Girl Shatters Records By Buying $440k Home

-6

ADVERTISEMENT

An 8-year-old girl from Melbourne, Australia, has become one of the world’s youngest homeowners after being listed as a property owner at the age of six.

In December 2021, Ruby McLellan became the owner of a four-bedroom property valued at US $440,000 and located on the outskirts of the second-most populous city in Australia. Ruby purchased her first home alongside her siblings, Angus, 14, and Lucy, 13.

Highlights
  • An 8-year-old from Australia has become one of the world's youngest homeowners.
  • The four-bedroom property was bought as a future investment, expected to double in value.
  • Ruby and her siblings contributed to the family purchase by saving pocket money.

According to Australian Law, anyone under 18 years of age can own and purchase a property with their name on the house title.

Of course, the fact that Ruby’s father is Cam McLellan, the CEO of property investment company OpenCorp, played a part in her pricey purchase.

BP Daily - Your Source for Unbiased Reporting

    Image credits: OpenCorp

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Cam wanted to plan ahead and save his children the stress of finding a home in the future.

    In ten year’s time, once the kids get older, the father predicts that property prices will be “astronomical.”

    “Historically, every seven to ten years, property doubles in value,” the 50-year-old dad explained. 

    “I’ve been investing for 30 years, and now is a great time to invest based on inflation decreasing and the prediction of interest rate drops.”

    Ruby McLellan owns the four-bedroom house along with her siblings, Angus, 14, and Lucy, 13

    Image credits: OpenCorp

    The property has been put into a trust, and Cam and his wife Felicity will keep it until Lucy and Angus are in their early 20s. 

    By then, Cam estimates that the “full growth property cycle” will have significantly increased the house’s value.

    To teach the children the value of money and hard work, Cam and Felicity gave their children money to do household chores. This approach enabled the children to feel a sense of contribution, no matter how small, towards the purchase of their first home.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “Financially, they have each contributed $2000 [USD $1,314], and they have saved that up,” Cam told the Australian outlet 7 News about his children’s pocket money.

    “Even as an eight-year-old, [Ruby’s] getting a grasp of the concept of buying and selling property.”

    The McLellan siblings raised pocket money to contribute to the family purchase

    Image credits: OpenCorp

    Learn more about Ruby’s story below

    Image credits: OpenCorp

    The children have also raised money by helping their father pack his best-selling book.

    “It’s written for my kids to use when they’re old enough, so I’ve outlined all the steps it takes to build a property portfolio,” the proud dad said.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Cam and Felicity purchased their first property together in their early 20s with the goal of becoming “financially free.”

    If his predictions prove true, the property will double in value by 2032. At that point, the children will be able to sell up the home and divide the profits, assisting them in purchasing their own houses.

    So, how does it feel to be her country’s youngest homeowner at the tender age of six? “Pretty cool,” Ruby told the DailyMail.

    “The tooth fairy must pay OK nowadays,” someone joked

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    Share on Facebook

    Explore more of these tags

    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    Read more »

    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

    Read less »
    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

    What do you think ?
    Jcusack
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Parents buy kid a house"

    Gwyn
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Headline should be: Rich Parents buy 8yo a house, claim it's because kid is financially savvy.

    kansasmagic
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Let's be real: the kid's *name* is on the title, but she didn't *buy* the house. It's good for the kids to learn how to save, but a combined $6k won't pay for a damn thing without regular income or other assets. You know, the kind of things you need to have first, before a bank will offer you a mortgage loan. Her dad bought the house, for his kids. It's a nice gesture, and he's a good dad for looking after his kids' financial interests, but most of us lack either a father willing and able to buy a half million dollar house in our name, or the means to buy such houses for our own kids.

    PFD
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm guessing the tax accountant had a lot more say than the kid in this purchase decision, too.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    Jcusack
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Parents buy kid a house"

    Gwyn
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Headline should be: Rich Parents buy 8yo a house, claim it's because kid is financially savvy.

    kansasmagic
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Let's be real: the kid's *name* is on the title, but she didn't *buy* the house. It's good for the kids to learn how to save, but a combined $6k won't pay for a damn thing without regular income or other assets. You know, the kind of things you need to have first, before a bank will offer you a mortgage loan. Her dad bought the house, for his kids. It's a nice gesture, and he's a good dad for looking after his kids' financial interests, but most of us lack either a father willing and able to buy a half million dollar house in our name, or the means to buy such houses for our own kids.

    PFD
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm guessing the tax accountant had a lot more say than the kid in this purchase decision, too.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Popular on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda
    ADVERTISEMENT