Since 2011, the average age of British citizens buying their first home in the United Kingdom (UK) increased by two years. In 2011, the average age for the country was 29, while in 2024, it reached ** years. Nevertheless, the average age varied in different regions.

In 2024, the average age of recent first-time buyers in London was slightly higher than the England average. Across the UK, first-time buyers accounted for approximately ******* home sales. First-time buyer prices and mortgages In London, the average value of a mortgage for first-time buyers was far higher than all other regions in the UK. Apart from the initial cost of a down payment, those that can afford to, see monthly payment savings against those renting. In certain parts of the country, annual savings of buying against renting saw first time buyers amounted to over ************ British pounds. Help to buy To encourage first-time buyers, the UK government started the "Help to buy" scheme. The scheme sees people saving for a first-time home receive a ***********bonus to their savings when purchasing a house valued at ******* British pounds (******* British pounds in London). Between December 2015 and March 2018, the North West of England saw the highest number of Help to buy ISA bonuses paid.

Graph and download economic data for Homeownership Rate in the United States (RSAHORUSQ156S) from Q1 1980 to Q2 2025 about housing, rate, and USA.

Among all home buyers in the United States in 2024, first time home buyers accounted for approximately ** percent of the total. The share of first time home buyers among all home buyers in the United States has fluctuated significantly between 2003 and 2024 having had the highest share of first time home buyers of ** percent in 2010.

Between 2008 and 2022, the homeownership rate in Germany decreased slightly. In 2022, about 46.7 percent of the population lived in an owner-occupied dwelling. This makes Germany one of the countries with the lowest homeownership rate and the biggest rental residential real estate market in Europe.

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.

The foreclosure rate in the United States has experienced significant fluctuations over the past two decades, reaching its peak in 2010 at **** percent following the financial crisis. Since then, the rate has steadily declined, with a notable drop to **** percent in 2021 due to government interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the rate stood slightly higher at **** percent but remained well below historical averages, indicating a relatively stable housing market. Impact of economic conditions on foreclosures The foreclosure rate is closely tied to broader economic trends and housing market conditions. During the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the share of non-performing mortgage loans climbed significantly, with loans 90 to 180 days past due reaching *** percent. Since then, the share of seriously delinquent loans has dropped notably, demonstrating a substantial improvement in mortgage performance. Among other things, the improved mortgage performance has to do with changes in the mortgage approval process. Homebuyers are subject to much stricter lending standards, such as higher credit score requirements. These changes ensure that borrowers can meet their payment obligations and are at a lower risk of defaulting and losing their home. Challenges for potential homebuyers Despite the low foreclosure rates, potential homebuyers face significant challenges in the current market. Homebuyer sentiment worsened substantially in 2021 and remained low across all age groups through 2024, with the 45 to 64 age group expressing the most negative outlook. Factors contributing to this sentiment include high housing costs and various financial obligations. For instance, in 2023, ** percent of non-homeowners reported that student loan expenses hindered their ability to save for a down payment.

Graph and download economic data for Households; Owners' Equity in Real Estate, Level (OEHRENWBSHNO) from Q4 1945 to Q1 2025 about net worth, balance sheet, nonprofit organizations, equity, real estate, Net, households, and USA.

In 2024, the median income range between of more than 200,000 U.S. dollars was the largest share of homebuyers in the United States that year. Among them, almost ** percent were between 26 and 59 years old. The income range between 100,000 and 124,999 U.S. dollars was the second one with the largest share of homebuyers in the United States that year. Among them, ** percent were between 18 and 34 years old.

In 2022, house price growth in the UK slowed, after a period of decade-long increase. Nevertheless, in March 2025, prices reached a new peak, with the average home costing ******* British pounds. This figure refers to all property types, including detached, semi-detached, terraced houses, and flats and maisonettes. Compared to other European countries, the UK had some of the highest house prices. How have UK house prices increased over the last 10 years? Property prices have risen dramatically over the past decade. According to the UK house price index, the average house price has grown by over ** percent since 2015. This price development has led to the gap between the cost of buying and renting a property to close. In 2023, buying a three-bedroom house in the UK was no longer more affordable than renting one. Consequently, Brits have become more likely to rent longer and push off making a house purchase until they have saved up enough for a down payment and achieved the financial stability required to make the step. What caused the recent fluctuations in house prices? House prices are affected by multiple factors, such as mortgage rates, supply, and demand on the market. For nearly a decade, the UK experienced uninterrupted house price growth as a result of strong demand and a chronic undersupply. Homebuyers who purchased a property at the peak of the housing boom in July 2022 paid ** percent more compared to what they would have paid a year before. Additionally, 2022 saw the most dramatic increase in mortgage rates in recent history. Between December 2021 and December 2022, the **-year fixed mortgage rate doubled, adding further strain to prospective homebuyers. As a result, the market cooled, leading to a correction in pricing.

Homeowners insurance premiums in the United States have increased in cost over the past two decades and reached a peak in 2024. The average premiums for homeowners insurance increased from ***** U.S. dollars in 2007 to ***** U.S. dollars in 2024.

Following a period of stagnation over most of the 2010s, the number of owner occupied housing units in the United States started to grow in 2017. In 2023, there were over 86 million owner-occupied homes. Owner-occupied housing is where the person who owns a property – either outright or through a mortgage – also resides in the property. Excluded are therefore rental properties, employer-provided housing and social housing. Homeownership sentiment in the U.S. Though homeownership is still a cornerstone of the American dream, an increasing share of people see themselves as lifelong renters. Millennials have been notoriously late to enter the housing market, with one in four reporting that they would probably continue to always rent in the future, a 2022 survey found. In 2017, just five years before that, this share stood at about 13 percent. How many renter households are there? Renter households are roughly half as few as owner-occupied households in the U.S. In 2023, the number of renter occupied housing units amounted to almost 45 million. Climbing on the property ladder for renters is not always easy, as it requires prospective homebuyers to save up for a down payment and qualify for a mortgage. In many metros, the median household income is insufficient to qualify for the median-priced home.

In the presented European countries, the homeownership rate extended from 42 percent in Switzerland to as much as 96 percent in Albania. Countries with more mature rental markets, such as France, Germany, the UK and Switzerland, tended to have a lower homeownership rate compared to the frontier countries, such as Lithuania or Slovakia. The share of house owners among the population of all 27 European countries has remained relatively stable over the past few years. Average cost of housing Countries with lower homeownership rates tend to have higher house prices. In 2023, the average transaction price for a house was notably higher in Western and Northern Europe than in Eastern and Southern Europe. In Austria - one of the most expensive European countries to buy a new dwelling in - the average price was three times higher than in Greece. Looking at house price growth, however, the most expensive markets recorded slower house price growth compared to the mid-priced markets. Housing supply With population numbers rising across Europe, the need for affordable housing continues. In 2023, European countries completed between one and six housing units per 1,000 citizens, with Ireland, Poland, and Denmark responsible heading the ranking. One of the major challenges for supplying the market with more affordable homes is the rising construction costs. In 2021 and 2022, housing construction costs escalated dramatically due to soaring inflation, which has had a significant effect on new supply.

The homeownership rate in the United States declined slightly in 2023 and remained stable in 2024. The U.S. homeownership rate was the highest in 2004 before the 2007-2009 recession hit and decimated the housing market. In 2024, the proportion of households occupied by owners stood at **** percent in 2024, *** percentage points below 2004 levels. Homeownership since the recession The rate of homeownership in the U.S. fell in the lead up to the recession and continued to do so until 2016. Despite this trend, the share of Americans who perceived homeownership as part of their personal American dream remained relatively stable. This suggests that the financial hardship caused by the recession led to the fall in homeownership, rather than a change in opinion about the importance of homeownership itself. What the future holds for homeownership Homeownership trends vary from generation to generation. Homeownership among Americans over 65 years old is declining, whereas most Millennial renters plan to buy a home in the near future. This suggests that homeownership will remain important in the future, as Millennials are forecast to head most households over the next two decades.

The price of residential property in New Zealand was the highest in the Auckland region in June 2025, with an average sale price of around ******* New Zealand dollars. The most populated city in the country, Auckland, has consistently reported higher house prices compared to most other regions. Buying property in New Zealand, particularly in its major cities, is expensive. The nation has one of the highest house-price-to-income ratios in the world. Auckland residential market The residential housing market in Auckland is competitive. Prices have been slowly decreasing; the Auckland region experienced an annual decrease in the average residential house price in March 2025 compared to the same month in the previous year. The price of residential property in Auckland was the highest in the North Shore City district, with an average sale price of around **** million New Zealand dollars. Home financing Due to the rising cost of real estate, an increasing number of New Zealanders who want to own their own property are taking on mortgages. Most residential mortgage lending in New Zealand went to owner-occupier borrowers, followed by first home buyers. In addition to mortgage lending, previously under the KiwiSaver HomeStart initiative, first-home buyers in New Zealand were able to apply to withdraw all or part of their KiwiSaver retirement savings to assist with purchasing a first home. Nonetheless, the scheme was discontinued in May 2024. Furthermore, even with a large initial deposit, it may take decades for many borrowers to pay off their mortgage.

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.