Tony Hawk Reflects on Buying a "Party House" at 17 and How It Saved Him Later

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk is looking back at one of the biggest decisions he made as a teenager—buying a house at just 17 years old.

During a recent appearance on SoFi's Richer Lives podcast, the 56-year-old revealed that his father, Frank Hawk, encouraged him to invest in real estate while he was still in high school. But for Tony, that advice had a different meaning.

"What I heard was, ‘You can have your own place, party house,’” he joked.

Since he was underage, his father had to co-sign the purchase, but Tony said he had his full support. Soon, he was living in the house with friends, some of whom were still in high school.

A Party House with a Purpose

Although the home became the go-to spot for gatherings, Tony remained focused on his career.

"We were relatively responsible, mostly because I couldn’t afford to just burn out and party all the time," he explained. "I was required to skate and perform at a high level all the time. Like every weekend, going to events and doing video shoots."

A Life-Changing Investment

Years later, when his career slowed down, that same house became his “saving grace.”

After buying another property and struggling with expenses, Tony took out a second mortgage on his original home to start a skateboard company. But when things got financially overwhelming, he made the tough decision to sell the second house and move back into his teenage home.

By then, he was a father to Hudson Riley Hawk, now 32, with his then-wife Cindy Dunbar. To stabilize his finances, he cut expenses and took on side jobs, including editing and consulting work.

A Hard-Earned Lesson

Looking back, Tony says this period of financial struggle was a wake-up call that shaped how he manages money today.

"The baseline was, ‘Don’t live beyond your means.’ I thought that I wasn’t, but I was in denial. At some point, I definitely was not making as much as I was spending," he admitted.

Even something as simple as a water bill became a challenge, making him realize the importance of saving.

"You should always be living so that you know you have savings," he shared.

From teenage skater to global icon, Tony Hawk’s journey proves that smart investments—even those made for the wrong reasons—can turn into life-changing decisions.