08/25/26

You may have seen the USA Today piece suggesting members of Gen Z want to live at home, but the data behind it tells a slightly different story, at least regarding this younger generation’s real estate goals. 

That’s why we dove into the Clever Real Estate survey to spotlight some figures our fellow property professionals may want to know. Here’s just a sampling of the stats we found compelling: 

• More than half (52%) of Gen Z college students and recent grads say they’re more likely to move home in the next five years than buy a place of their own. 

• Many (58%) are hoping for a future housing crash to make buying residential property more affordable. 

• About the same number (57%) doubt they’ll be able to afford a home at the age their parents did a generation earlier. 

• About 1 in 5 (21%) say they would start a family later if it meant the opportunity to buy a home first. 

All of these stats relay the same message, at least through a real estate lens: Many young people still want to be homeowners sooner rather than later, but feel like insurmountable obstacles stand in the way.  

That phenomenon is, of course, nothing new. Millennials have housing-crash scars, Gen Xers remember double-digit interest rates, but those previous iterations don’t make the current generation’s fears any less valid. After all, affordability is getting harder to define, and the starter home is disappearing from many markets.  

So, what should the recommended course of action be? We’ve outlined some steps. 

For potential homebuyers: Even if you feel like you’re years away, talk to a real estate agent or loan officer now. That person can give you clarity and provide a roadmap toward your first home. 

For our fellow real estate professionals: Be open and honest during these conversations. We all know this business is all about finding the next deal, but take these meetings as a chance to build strong connections with younger community members. Offer your expertise to professional groups and anyone else with questions. 

For parents: Be supportive – and if the survey is any indication – give your adult child some flexibility, privacy and financial support. Also, don’t perpetuate housing myths from 30 years ago. Things have changed, and one of the big shifts is the down payment rule. We’ve talked about this before, but you don’t need 20% anymore. In fact, recent research shows the median down payment for a first-time homebuyer hovers around 10%, and many properties can be had for 3% or less. 

We’ll leave you with one silver lining from the Clever survey: Almost everyone (95%) said they believed they’ll own a home in the future. So, even though most Gen Zers believe homeownership is a dream delayed, they’re confident it will happen eventually. 

It’s those realized dreams that make what we do special. Thank you for trusting us to handle your title and escrow work on the way to your storybook ending.