December 31, 2006
Buying Your First Home
Buying Your First Home
Here's a startling fact: Young Americans are the fastest-growing group of homeowners.
Nearly 26% of people under 25 own their homes, up from just under 20% in 1982. In the 25-to-29 age group, nearly 41% are homeowners, up from 39%.
Yet the median home price has more than tripled in the past 24 years. That's made buying a home increasingly hard for young adults who are still renting or living with their parents.
Throughout much of the country, though, the 7.4-month supply of homes on the market is giving buyers more bargaining power than they've seen in six years. Mortgage rates, declining again, are the lowest since January. Several state and local governments have stepped in to try to help working-class people, especially nurses, teachers and emergency service personnel, afford homes in the most expensive areas of the country.
