NAR releases new homebuyer market data
According to newly released data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), adults ages 61 to 79, otherwise known as the baby boomers, accounted for 42% of all homebuyers and 55% of all sellers over the past year. This generation overtook millennials in 2025 and maintains a firm grip on the housing market, relying on housing wealth accrued over decades to bypass the high prices, which challenge younger, potential homebuyers.
“The housing market remains sharply divided between homeowners with equity and first-time buyers trying to break in,” said Jessica Lautz, NAR’s deputy chief economist, in the report.
As a result of these market dynamics, the share of first-time buyers among all homebuyers decreased to 21% over the last year, the lowest level since NAR began tracking the metric in 1981. Millennials, ages 27 to 45, who historically make up the bulk of first-time buyers, saw their overall buyer share drop from 29% to 26%.
