First-time buyers in the housing market are at an all-time low

As housing remains scarce, pricey, and out of reach, the share of first-time home buyers has hit an all-time low. Just 21% of buyers were first-timers in the 12 months ending June 2025, the National Association of Realtors said in its 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, released Nov. 4. That’s only about half the long-time average share of 38% in records going back to 1981. Meanwhile, the average age of the first-time buyer rose once again, to 40. "The implications for the housing market are stagge ...