First-time home buyers accounted for 32 percent of existing-home sales in August 2015 (28 percent in July 2015; 29 percent in August 2014): August 2015 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey.12
Sustained net job creation, a low interest rate environment with 30-year fixed rates at below four percent for most of 2015, and better pricing of FHA-insured mortgages appear to be helping first-time homebuyers. The prospect of an interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve Board may also have spurred first-time home buying activity.[1] REALTOR® respondents reported that tight inventory, increasingly unaffordable prices, and weak credit profiles that fail to meet tighter underwriting standards are conditions that continue to work against first-time home buyers.



12 First-time buyers accounted for about 33 percent of all home buyers based on data from NAR’s 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (HBS). The HBS is a survey of primary residence home buyers and does not capture investor purchases but does cover both existing and new home sales. The RCI Survey is a survey of REALTORS® about their transactions and captures purchases for investment purposes and second homes for existing homes.
12 First-time buyers accounted for about 33 percent of all home buyers based on data from NAR’s 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (HBS). The HBS is a survey of primary residence home buyers and does not capture investor purchases but does cover both existing and new home sales. The RCI Survey is a survey of REALTORS® about their transactions and captures purchases for investment purposes and second homes for existing homes.
[1] The Federal Open Market Committee, in its September 17 statement, decided to maintain at 0 to ¼ percent target range for the federal funds rate, a benchmark rate that influences all rates, including mortgage rates.