Millennials are ready to purchase homes finally; after 10 years of declining numbers according to a University of Southern California study. This is fantastic news for the housing market and fantastic news for millennials as they shift from renting to owning. A certain shift from 2014 when Pew research reported that for the first time in 130 years, individuals between the ages of 25-44 were more likely to be living with their parents vs. owning a home.
One of the stunning statistics I came across reading a Bank of America study was total lack of understanding of what is actually available to millennials; their perceptions of what it took to own a home was incredible; here’s what it showed:
-30% of millennials believed they need 20% down to get a mortgage
-31% believed they needed 10% down
-Only 5% believed they needed 5%
-6% were simply unsure
That represents 72% of all millennials! Yet most millennials that do in fact obtain a mortgage pay around 3%!
Until recent times, the factors that contributed to both the realities as well as poor perceptions of one’s ability to own a home were:
- Increase in Debt
- Unemployment rate
- Increase in rental costs leading to decrease in ability to save for a down payment
- Credit requirements after the mortgage meltdown
- Lower inventory of starter homes
- Getting married later- lack of dual incomes to go on mortgage
As I wrote in a prior blog, times are changing for the good. It’s amazing what a positive outlook does for politicians, investors/Wallstreet, business owners and of course, the stock market. Low down and no down payment mortgages are truly helping millennials obtain their goals
My advice to the millennials is simple: roll up your sleeves, get with someone that truly knows what they are talking about and define your point “A”. Meaning, if you want to own a home, don’t be embarrassed about anything: what your bank account says, what your credit score is or what limitations you think you might have. It’s important to get it all out on paper; some may find themselves in their own home right away, some very soon and for the rest, they are left with a clear path to point “B”, an exact game plan.
Next week I will reviewing interest rates and inventory; thanks for reading!