According to data shared by Realtor.com and Brian Buffini, an estimated 52% of 30-year-olds in the United States were both married and homeowners around 1960. Today, that number is estimated to be just 12%.
That statistic says less about ambition and much more about how dramatically life has changed.
Today's first-time buyers are facing challenges previous generations rarely experienced:
- Home prices have risen much faster than incomes in many markets.
- Student loan debt has delayed saving for down payments.
- Many people are marrying later, if at all.
- Career mobility often requires relocating more frequently.
- Higher interest rates have changed affordability.
The good news is that homeownership is far from out of reach.
Many buyers are purchasing later in life, buying as single individuals, purchasing with a partner before marriage, or using creative financing strategies that simply weren't common decades ago.
Here in Colorado Springs and Monument, I work with buyers every day who assume they need 20% down or believe they have to wait years before buying. Often, neither is true.
Whether it's VA financing, FHA loans, conventional low down payment options, first-time buyer programs, or negotiating seller concessions to reduce upfront costs, there are more paths to homeownership than many people realize.
The dream hasn't disappeared.
The path has simply changed.
If you're wondering whether buying makes sense for your situation, I'd be happy to help you explore your options without any pressure.
