AITAH for putting my house on the market and giving my parents an eviction notice after they moved my brother in without asking?
I (26F) bought my own 3-bedroom house two years ago. I work in tech and have been incredibly lucky with my investments.
My parents (60s) lost their home last year due to some bad financial decisions and medical debt. Because I love them, I invited them to live with me rent-free. The only conditions were: they pay for their own groceries, they help keep the common areas clean, and no one else moves in.
This specific rule exists because of my older brother, “Greg” (32M). Greg has been in and out of trouble for a decade. He has stolen from me, borrowed money he never paid back, and generally refuses to hold down a job. He is the “Golden Child” who can do no wrong, while I was the independent one who “didn’t need help.”
Last week, I went on a business trip for five days. I came home on Friday night, exhausted, only to find a U-Haul in my driveway.
I walked inside and found Greg sitting on my couch eating my food. I went upstairs and found that my home office (which I need for work) had been completely dismantled. My desk was in the garage. My monitors were unplugged on the floor. In its place was a blow-up mattress and bags of Greg’s clothes.
I lost it. I asked my parents what the hell was going on. My mom started crying, saying Greg was evicted from his apartment and “had nowhere else to go.” She said they didn’t call me because they knew I’d say no, but they figured once he was settled, I wouldn’t have the heart to kick out my own brother. My dad chimed in saying, “Family helps family, and you have plenty of space. You don’t need an office, you can work from the kitchen table.”
I told Greg to get his stuff and get out immediately. My dad stood up and told me I was being a “heartless brat” and that as long as they lived there, it was their home too, and they could have guests.
So, I made a choice.
I told them, “You’re right. I can’t control who you have over if it’s your home. But it’s not your home. It’s mine. And I’m done.”
I went to a hotel for the night. The next morning (Saturday), I called a realtor friend of mine. I am putting the house on the market. The market in my area is hot, and I can make a solid profit.
I went back to the house yesterday with a printed 30-day notice to vacate for my parents. I told them I am selling the house. Since they violated the one major boundary I set, the arrangement is over. I told Greg if he wasn’t off the property in an hour, I was calling the police for trespassing. He left, screaming obscenities at me.
Now my phone is blowing up. My aunts, uncles, and even my grandmother are calling me a monster. They are saying I’m making my parents homeless in their old age just to spite my brother. My mom is begging, promising Greg will leave, but I told her I can no longer trust them in my house while I’m away at work.
I feel justified, but hearing my mom sob that they have nowhere to go is making me feel physically ill. AITAH?
