NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2025

Home Buyer Demographics ▪ The ages of home buyers reached all-time highs. The median buyer age increased to a peak of 59 years old, up from 56 last year. The median first-time buyer age increased to 40 this year from 38 last year, while the typical repeat buyer age also rose to 62 from 61. ▪ The share of married couples decreased to 61 percent of all buyers. The share of single females slightly increased to 21 percent, and the share of single males increased to nine percent. The share of unmarried couples remained consistent this year at six percent. ▪ Eighty-four percent of recent home buyers identified their ethnicity as White or Caucasian. Six percent of recent buyers identified as Black/African-American, seven percent identified as Hispanic/Latino, four percent identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, and three percent as some other ethnicity. ▪ Eighty-nine percent of recent home buyers identified as heterosexual, three percent as gay or lesbian, one percent as bisexual, less than one percent preferred to self-describe, and six percent preferred not to answer. Who Resides in the Home ▪ Seventy-six percent of recent buyers did not have a child under the age of 18 in their home. This is the highest share recorded. ▪ Fourteen percent of home buyers purchased a multi-generational home. The top reasons for purchasing a multi-generational home were to take care of aging parents (41 percent), cost savings (29 percent), children over the age of 18 moving back home (27 percent), and to spend more time with aging parents (23 percent). First-time Home Buyers ▪ First-time home buyers decreased to 21 percent of the market share (24 percent last year). This year now marks the lowest share since NAR began collecting the data in 1981. Prior to the Great Recession, the historical norm was 40 percent. Veteran and Military Home Buyers ▪ Eighteen percent of recent home buyers (or someone within their home) were veterans, and one percent were active-duty service members. Reasons to Purchase a Home ▪ At 21 percent, the primary reason for purchasing a home was the desire to own a home of their own. For first-time buyers, this number jumps to 64 percent. ▪ Forty-five percent of all buyers said that the timing was just right, and they were ready to purchase a home. The second most common reason was that the buyer did not have much choice, and they had to purchase the home when they did (20 percent).