gmhTODAY 02 gmhToday May June 2015 | Page 17

ACCORDING TO A C.A.R. MILLENNIAL SURVEY Millennials Value Homeownership T Main Concerns about Buying he C.A.R. survey, designed to evaluate the Millennial generation’s attitude toward homeownership, asked questions about everything from the effect of the recession on attitudes toward home buying to what they look for in a home, as well as their biggest concerns about home buying. The online survey polled 1,000 California residents age 18-34. Some of the report’s key findings: • The majority of those surveyed were uncertain or doubtful they could obtain a mortgage now; 45 percent said they were not sure, while 33 percent said they would not be able to do so. • Sixty-seven percent rent because they can- not afford to buy. • Forty-five percent cited high home prices and affordability as their main concerns about home ownership. • Half of Millennial renters have student debt but most don’t feel it is preventing them from qualifying for a mortgage. More than four in ten (43%) don’t have debt that would prevent them from buy- ing a home. They Value Homeownership • Though nearly two in five Millennials (49%) live with parents, 93% plan to buy a home. • More than half (54%) gave homeowner- ship an importance rating of 8 or higher on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “not at all important” and 10 being “extremely important.” • Millennials don’t tie homeownership to a life event, but instead to years; they plan to buy in five years rather than when they marry or have children. • Even though many Millennials saw their parents struggle through the recession, more than half (59%) said the housing crisis didn’t affect their attitude toward homeownership being a good investment. Why They Want to Buy • Millennials top reasons for buying are freedom to do what they want with the property, privacy, and the satisfaction of ownership. • Fifty-seven percent think location is most important — above the neighborhood, home features, and walkability, among other things. • Two out of three (67%) plan to purchase a single-family detached home. • Forty-two percent want to live in the country, and 41% in the suburbs. • The younger group (18-26) find privacy important, while older Millennials (27- 34) find equity important; they see homeownership as an investment. Article & Stats Provided By: Marta Dinsmore, Realtor Intero Real Estate Services MartaDinsmore.com 408.840.7420 DRE #01352339 Sean Dinsmore, Realtor Intero Real Estate Services DinsmoreThePowerOfTwo.com 408.840.7327 DRE #01966405 November 1, 2014 thru January 31, 2015 February 1 thru March 30, 2015 Active Listings 42 55 0 2 Short Sale Bank 0 0 Average List Price 949K $1,054K Average days on market 42 21 Closed Sales 129 Short Sale 5 Average Sales Price $677K Average List Price $677K 50 Average Days on Market G M H T O D A Y M A G A Z I N E MAY / JUNE 2015 gmhtoday.com 71 4 $660K $664K 45 17