First-Time Homebuyers Find a Way to Fulfill Their Dream
Despite the challenges of rising interest rates and limited inventory, first-time homebuyers are finding a way to make their dream of homeownership a reality. According to Zillow's 2023 Consumer Housing Trends Report, first-time buyers now make up 50% of all homebuyers, up from 45% last year and a meaningful jump from 37% in 2021. The share of first-time buyers likely hasn't been this high since around 2010, when many were motivated by the first-time homebuyer tax credit. The gains first-time buyers are making are relative to repeat buyers, of course, many of whom have locked in mortgages at a rate below 5%, making them almost half as likely to consider moving. First-time buyers make up a larger piece of a smaller pie, as home sales and inventory shrink, however, this significant rise in the share of first-time buyers helps explain what's driving demand and keeping upward pressure on prices. According to the report, affordability is the greatest hurdle for today's first