Jan 26, 2024
You may notice any new neighbors you get looking a little on the grayer side as the dream of home ownership slides further out of reach for young Americans grappling with high prices and mortgage rates.
The median age of homebuyers is now 49 years old — 10 years older than it was just two decades ago, according to Axios, citing data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
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The NAR also reports the median age of first-time buyers is 35 years old, while the median age of repeat buyers is 58 years old.
"We're talking about a different profile of homebuyer today," Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist, told Axios, indicating buyers are both older and wealthier in today’s market.
"It's very difficult to enter into the home buying market unless you can pull from financial assets or perhaps the Bank of Mom and Dad, which is not available to every American.”
Here’s why it’s so hard for younger generations to become homeowners today — and how you can still invest in real estate without purchasing an entire property.
It's still expensive to buy a home
Young Americans — especially first-time homebuyers — are facing major financial headwinds at the moment that are impeding their foray into real estate.
For one, the cost of borrowing remains high, as mortgage rates hover around the 7% mark.
Meanwhile, sellers are reluctant to relinquish the low rates they locked into in previous years, which has tightened supply.
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Those with higher incomes also seem to have an edge. The NAR reports the median household income of homebuyers has surged to $107,000, up a record 22% from the previous year.
To make matters worse, young Americans are grappling with inflated everyday prices and hefty student loan payments.
"We are pushing out anyone who may be looking for an affordable property," Lautz told Axios.
As a result, it’s folks with more cash on hand or those who have built equity through previous home purchases, when prices and interest rates were lower, that can afford to buy in the current market.
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This is a group that tends to skew older, since one typically accumulates more wealth over time.
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There are other options for young Americans
While many younger Americans feel priced out of the current housing market, there are still alternative ways to grow your wealth through real estate investments now to potentially purchase your own pad later on.
You could consider a real estate investment trust (REIT), which is an entity that allows you to earn returns from several properties at a time without owning a single one yourself. They’re similar to a mutual fund, except REITs own and operate properties that produce income, such as apartment buildings and shopping malls.
If you’re an accredited investor with a bit more cash up your sleeve, commercial real estate could be an option. Some firms allow investors to own shares of institutional-quality properties leased by major retailers, including CVS and Whole Foods.
But even if you’re not looking to take a huge chunk out of your paycheck for your investments, some platforms will allow you to invest in rental and vacation properties at a much lower cost.
Correction, Jan. 26: The story previously stated the NAR reported a household income of $107.000 was needed to buy a typical U.S. home. In fact, $107,000 was the median household income among homebuyers.
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Serah Louis is a reporter with Moneywise.com. She enjoys tackling topical personal finance issues for young people and women and covering the latest in financial news.
