1 in 5 Gen Z'ers Say Housing Affordability Is Their Top Life Concern, Realtor.com® Survey
Despite affordability challenges, two thirds of Gen Z respondents see homeownership as a lifetime goal and plan to make their first or next home purchase in the next 6 years
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to homeownership, Gen Z is united in their concerns over affordability as 82% of those in Gen Z who own a home or hope to own a home think buying a home is harder for their generation compared to previous generations, according to a new survey from Realtor.com®. In fact, 16% of Gen Z rate housing affordability as one of their highest concerns in life.
Despite those headwinds, our survey of 1,000 adults between the ages of 18-27 who currently own a home or hope to in the future, found that Gen-Z respondents value homeownership, with 67% of respondents saying that homeownership is a somewhat or very important lifetime goal of theirs, 69% agreeing that real estate is an opportunity to generate wealth and 51% thinking it's a somewhat or very important part of the American dream.
"Gen Z has grown up during a time of rapid change in the housing market, and they're approaching homeownership with clear eyes," said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com®. "They know affordability is a major hurdle, but they're not giving up on the dream of owning a home. Instead, they're adapting, focusing on career growth, saving early, and being realistic about what they can afford. That determination and flexibility will serve them well as the market evolves."
It's All About Money: Gen Z Prioritize Career Growth
For Gen Z, there is a divide between their readiness for homeownership in general compared to their financial readiness, where 46% of respondents feel at least somewhat ready to buy a house, yet only 36% think they are at least somewhat financially ready to buy a house. Many are prioritizing career advancement ahead of buying a house, getting married or having kids, which aligns with their attitudes around housing affordability. 49.5% rank advancing in career first in terms of milestones they hope to accomplish. For Gen Z respondents, when asked about milestones, they want to find advancements in their career followed by buying a house, then getting married and lastly having kids.
In one of the few gender divides, 52% of Gen- Z women surveyed want to advance their career first compared to only 45% of Gen Z men surveyed. 23.7% of Gen Z men ranked buying a house as their first milestone compared to only 19.4% of Gen Z women. While pop culture narratives often portray the marriage-‐mindset of young women, Gen Z women and men are equally likely to say they're prioritizing marriage before buying a home.
82% of respondents say that having a higher paying job would increase their desire to become homeowners and 80% say their desire would increase if they could afford it. Furthermore, 51% express high levels of concern about housing affordability in the future with nearly one in four (16%) rating housing affordability as one of their highest concerns in life. Only 10% have low or no concern about housing affordability.
Grinding for the Dream: Gen Z's Path to a Down Payment
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of all respondents have started to save for a downpayment. Gen Z respondents predict needing, on average, $54,546 for a down payment. This is less than 20% of the national median list price, which would be $85,000 for a home listed at $425,000, but is far more than the average downpayment of $30,250 (latest available data representing Q4 2024).
When looking at how Gen Z are saving or are planning to save for a down payment, survey respondents are interested in dependable wealth growing or cost cutting measures like taking on an additional job or side hustle, changing where they work, moving to a more affordable housing market or asking for a raise. 33% of those surveyed have or are currently taking on an additional job or side hustle to save for a downpayment. In terms of saving for a downpayment, respondents are not interested in making riskier stock or crypto bets, borrowing from parents or family, or taking on a roommate to help defer costs.
When Gen Z Buys, They're Focused on Practical Homes and Forever
For 33% of Gen Z, the most important aspect of a home is price, followed by size (18.5%) and location (17.9%) and they are realistic in their expectations about the size of house with the largest cohort (44.5%) of Gen Z wanting a three bedroom house.
Interestingly Gen-Z'ers are holding out for a forever home, with two in five (40%) saying they would rather hold out and buy a "forever home." 30% plan to buy a starter home and work their way up and only 17% are holding out for a family home to be passed down.
While 62.2% of Gen Z see homeownership as a long-term financial investment, when thinking specifically about purchasing a home, short term financial investment opportunities wane in popularity. For example, only 9.9% of Gen-Z are planning to buy a home as an investment property and rent somewhere else and only 10.5% rank the ability to rent the house and turn a profit as the most important aspect of a home they would consider buying.
Methodology
A sample of 1,000 Gen Z American adults (age 18 to 27) was surveyed from October 4 to October 7, 2025. All respondents plan to own a home and this survey comprises a scientific random sample with a margin of error of 3.1%.
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com® pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over 25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by real estate professionals, Realtor.com® is a valued partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp (NASDAQ:NWS, NWSA]) [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc.
Media contact: Mallory Micetich, [email protected]
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SOURCE Realtor.com