In the 2 years to March 2023, the average age of first-time buyers was 32 years old.

The average sales price of new homes in the United States experienced a slight decrease in 2024, dropping to 512,2000 U.S. dollars from the peak of 521,500 U.S. dollars in 2022. This decline came after years of substantial price increases, with the average price surpassing 400,000 U.S. dollars for the first time in 2021. The recent cooling in the housing market reflects broader economic trends and changing consumer sentiment towards homeownership. Factors influencing home prices and affordability The rapid rise in home prices over the past few years has been driven by several factors, including historically low mortgage rates and increased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the market has since slowed down, with the number of home sales declining by over two million between 2021 and 2023. This decline can be attributed to rising mortgage rates and decreased affordability. The Housing Affordability Index hit a record low of 98.1 in 2023, indicating that the median-income family could no longer afford a median-priced home. Future outlook for the housing market Despite the recent cooling, experts forecast a potential recovery in the coming years. The Freddie Mac House Price Index showed a growth of 6.5 percent in 2023, which is still above the long-term average of 4.4 percent since 1990. However, homebuyer sentiment remains low across all age groups, with people aged 45 to 64 expressing the most pessimistic outlook. The median sales price of existing homes is expected to increase slightly until 2025, suggesting that affordability challenges may persist in the near future.

Data on resident buyers who are persons that purchased a residential property in a market sale and filed their T1 tax return form: number of and incomes of residential property buyers, sale price, price-to-income ratio by the number of buyers as part of a sale, age groups, first-time home buyer status, buyer characteristics (sex, family type, immigration status, period of immigration, admission category).

As at February 2025, couples aged 25 to 34 years old in Sydney, Australia spent an average of around **** percent of their household income on mortgage repayments for an entry-priced unit. In comparison, couples in the same age bracket in Perth were spending around **** percent of their household income on mortgage repayments for a unit.

Graph and download economic data for Housing Inventory: Median Days on Market in the United States (MEDDAYONMARUS) from Jul 2016 to Jul 2025 about median and USA.

As at February 2025, couples aged 25 to 34 years old in Sydney, Australia spent an average of around **** percent of their household income on mortgage repayments for an entry-priced house. In comparison, couples in the same age bracket in Darwin were spending around **** percent of their household income on mortgage repayments for a house.

Graph and download economic data for Homeownership Rate in the United States (RHORUSQ156N) from Q1 1965 to Q2 2025 about homeownership, housing, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Average Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States (ASPUS) from Q1 1963 to Q2 2025 about sales, housing, and USA.

Prospective homebuyers in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario, needed an annual income of over ******* Canadian dollars in June 2025 to qualify for the average priced home. In Vancouver, this figure was approximately ******* Canadian dollars. British Columbia and Ontario, are Canada's most expensive provinces for housing. According to a January 2025 forecast by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), the housing market is expected to grow in the next two years, which is likely to worsen home affordability.

Geneva stands out as Europe's most expensive city for apartment purchases in early 2025, with prices reaching a staggering 15,720 euros per square meter. This Swiss city's real estate market dwarfs even high-cost locations like Zurich and London, highlighting the extreme disparities in housing affordability across the continent. The stark contrast between Geneva and more affordable cities like Nantes, France, where the price was 3,700 euros per square meter, underscores the complex factors influencing urban property markets in Europe. Rental market dynamics and affordability challenges While purchase prices vary widely, rental markets across Europe also show significant differences. London maintained its position as the continent's priciest city for apartment rentals in 2023, with the average monthly costs for a rental apartment amounting to 36.1 euros per square meter. This figure is double the rent in Lisbon, Portugal or Madrid, Spain, and substantially higher than in other major capitals like Paris and Berlin. The disparity in rental costs reflects broader economic trends, housing policies, and the intricate balance of supply and demand in urban centers. Economic factors influencing housing costs The European housing market is influenced by various economic factors, including inflation and energy costs. As of April 2025, the European Union's inflation rate stood at 2.4 percent, with significant variations among member states. Romania experienced the highest inflation at 4.9 percent, while France and Cyprus maintained lower rates. These economic pressures, coupled with rising energy costs, contribute to the overall cost of living and housing affordability across Europe. The volatility in electricity prices, particularly in countries like Italy where rates are projected to reach 153.83 euros per megawatt hour by February 2025, further impacts housing-related expenses for both homeowners and renters.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of house sales in the UK spiked, followed by a period of decline. In 2023 and 2024, the housing market slowed notably, and in January 2025, transaction volumes fell to 46,774. House sales volumes are impacted by a number of factors, including mortgage rates, house prices, supply, demand, as well as the overall health of the market. The economic uncertainty and rising unemployment rates has also affected the homebuyer sentiment of Brits. How have UK house prices developed over the past 10 years? House prices in the UK have increased year-on-year since 2015, except for a brief period of decline in the second half of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. That is based on the 12-month percentage change of the UK house price index. At the peak of the housing boom in 2022, prices soared by nearly 14 percent. The decline that followed was mild, at under three percent. The cooling in the market was more pronounced in England and Wales, where the average house price declined in 2023. Conversely, growth in Scotland and Northern Ireland continued. What is the impact of mortgage rates on house sales? For a long period, mortgage rates were at record-low, allowing prospective homebuyers to take out a 10-year loan at a mortgage rate of less than three percent. In the last quarter of 2021, this period came to an end as the Bank of England rose the bank lending rate to contain the spike in inflation. Naturally, the higher borrowing costs affected consumer sentiment, urging many homebuyers to place their plans on hold and leading to a decline in sales.

In June 2025, the value of mortgage lending to owner-occupier borrowers (excluding first-home buyers) in New Zealand amounted to around **** billion New Zealand dollars. Residential lending to investors was approximately *** billion New Zealand dollars in comparison. Housing affordability in New Zealand Many people across New Zealand have discarded the homeownership dream due to the country’s unaffordable housing supply. While average residential house prices fell across some of New Zealand’s regions in 2024, first-home buyers are still largely priced out of the market due to high mortgage repayments, interest rates, and average home deposit values. The monthly residential mortgage lending value to first-home buyers in New Zealand in December 2024 came to around *** billion New Zealand dollars, marking a slight rise from the previous month. The highest monthly value of mortgage lending to first-home buyers across the country was recorded in March 2021, during a year when average residential mortgage rates were at their lowest. Where are residential mortgage interest rates heading? According to a survey conducted in May 2023, rising interest rates were the leading property market concern among New Zealanders, with over 54 percent of respondents expressing their concern. New Zealand’s average new residential mortgage interest rates were at their lowest in 2021 but have inflated greatly over the past few years. In June 2021, the average 1-year fixed interest rate for a new standard residential mortgage in New Zealand was at **** percent, with this rate rising to over *** percent by December 2023. Nonetheless, mortgage rates showed signs of leveling out at the end of 2023, and began declining in 2024.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2024. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 116.2 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.