Please note: The data visualization embeds on this page are best viewed on a laptop or desktop computer.

The National Association of REALTORS® has been producing the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers since 1981. Each report reflects a unique economic environment and an ever-changing real estate market. These were the most striking takeaways from this year’s report on who can enter a housing market plagued by limited affordable housing inventory and elevated mortgage interest rates.

1. First-time buyers: First-time home buyers increased slightly from the lowest historical share of 21% to 22% as housing affordability improved momentarily due to a short-lived drop in mortgage interest rates. First-time buyers continue to face limited affordable inventory and difficulty saving for a down payment. Before the Great Recession, 40% of primary residence buyers were 40% first-time buyers. Even among successful first-time buyers, the hardest step was finding the right property. While young adults still want the American Dream of homeownership, they feel priced out of achieving it.
 

 

2. Age of first-time buyers: The overall median age of first-time buyers remained at the all-time high seen in last year’s report of 40 years old. Since 2010, the age of first-time buyers has been incrementally climbing from 30. First-time home buyers are likely older because they have to save longer and are entering a market with limited inventory, which may require longer searches to find a home. Additionally, there is an important distinction between first-time buyers who financed versus those who made all-cash purchases. First-time buyers who financed had a median age of 38, while first-time buyers who made an all-cash purchase had a median age of 54.

3. All cash first-time buyers: First-time buyers who made all cash purchases rose to the highest level recorded of 10%. These all-cash buyers were more likely than financed buyers to obtain funds from a cash inheritance, an inherited property, or financial assets.

4. Age of repeat buyers: The age of repeat buyers also remains at an all-time high seen last year. In 1981, the median age of repeat buyers was 36. Today it is 62. Repeat buyers who decide to purchase are moving later in life, many of whom are likely retired, and their top reason for moving is to be close to friends and family. As the share of the population aged 65 and older grows, it is reasonable to assume more homeowners in this age group will make housing trades, along with the financial ability to do so. The lock-in effect of low-rate mortgages may be keeping younger homeowners in place.

5. Household composition: As marriage rates in the U.S. have continued to steadily decline to just 47%, there has been a shift in who is purchasing homes. This reflects all buyers, but is most pronounced among first-time home buyers. This year, just 47% of first-time home buyers were married, while 25% were single women, 12% were single men, and 11% were unmarried couples. First-time buyers purchasing as roommates were at a 45-year high of 5%. Purchasing as roommates has become an attractive option for buyers as it addresses housing affordability with dual incomes and companionship.

6. Multi-generational homes: Families continue to look for creative solutions to address family needs under one roof. Fourteen percent of home buyers purchased a multi-generational home. The main reasons are to accommodate aging parents, allow young adults to live at home, and save money. However, while those are the most common reasons, the share of home buyers with children under 18 who share a residence to reduce childcare costs jumped from 11% in 2025 to 16% in 2026. Childcare costs are also a growing concern among successful buyers and held back savings, increasing from 14% in 2025 to 17% in 2026 among buyers who had difficulty saving.

7. Length of Ownership Among Sellers: Home sellers have now owned their home for a median of 12 years before selling. This is an all-time high. The lock-in effect of low-interest-rate mortgages is likely contributing to longer home tenure. If a homeowner doesn't have a motivating reason to move, they stay put longer. Increased home tenure is likely driven by the age of home sellers and repeat buyers. If more repeat buyers are in their 60s, they may have owned a family home for many decades and are now at a point in their life where they are ready for a housing trade.

8. Neighborhood choice: Neighborhood choice and reason to purchase have changed considerably among home buyers in the last two decades. Buyers who chose a neighborhood that was convenient to their job are now at just 31 percent, down from 52 percent in 2014. Convenience to friends and family is up from a low of 35 percent in 2015 to 46 percent. Because retirees dominate the market, being close to one’s support system tends to outweigh everything else.

9. Buyer Use of Agent: Ninety percent of home buyers use a real estate agent or broker to purchase their home—the highest in four decades. Buyers want a real estate agent or broker who can help them find the right home, negotiate, and understand the real estate market. This is the biggest financial purchase of one’s life, and home buyers rely on real estate agents to achieve the American Dream.

10. Seller Use of Agent: Ninety-two percent of home sellers use a real estate agent or broker to sell their home, an all-time high. Similarly, home sellers want an agent to help them market their home for sale, price their home competitively, and sell within a specific timeframe. Buyers and sellers who are happy with their agent are more likely to recommend them or use them again when buying or selling a home. For-sale-by-owners (FSBO) remained at a historic low of just 5% of sellers. Sixty-two percent of FSBOs knew the buyer.

To find your favorite statistic, find the full Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.