In 1986, the typical first-time homebuyer was 29 years old and comprised 44% of total home sales. What does first-time homeownership look like today? Check out our infographic with a few first-time homebuyer facts to find out.
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Nowadays
the average first-time buyer is 38 years old and represents 24% of all home sales.

The median annual household income for first-time buyers today is $97,000.
The median down payment is 9% for a first-home purchase, which primarily comes from personal savings.

Among average first-time buyers these days, 35% carry about $40k of student loan debt.

The majority of first-time buyers financed 75% or more of their home purchase with a fixed rate Conventional home mortgage loan.

Buyers toured an average of 8 homes in ten weeks and 85 percent of them purchased resale homes. The average first-time buyer plans to stay in their home for more than 10 years.

In 2024 the typical first home is a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom single family house in the ‘burbs built around 1983 and is between 1500-2500 square feet.

Sources:
NAR® Generational Trends
2024
NAR® First-Time Homebuyers
NAR® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers