NAR’s 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows first-time buyers made up 22% of purchases, and a record 10% of them paid all cash.
The share of first-time home buyers rose slightly to 22% from last year’s record low of 21%, while their typical age stayed at an all-time high of 40, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, released November 5.
Infographic: National Association of Realtors / nar.realtor
A record 10% of first-time buyers paid all cash. Among them, 28% used an inheritance, compared with 9% of first-time buyers who financed.
Infographic: National Association of Realtors / nar.realtor
“Affordability remains the biggest hurdle for first-time buyers,” said Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist and vice president of research. “The share of first-time buyers is still about half the historical norm of 40% seen before 2008, and those saving on their own continue to face high rent, student debt, and a shortage of homes they can afford.”
First-time buyers made a median down payment of 9%, compared with 19% for repeat buyers.
Repeat buyers accounted for 78% of all purchases. Their median age matched the all-time high of 62, and their median household income rose to $127,000 from $111,700.
Ninety percent of buyers used an agent or broker, and a record 92% of sellers used an agent.