Bernice Ross

For many years the annual Profile of Buyers and Sellers report from the National Association of Realtors showed that first-time buyers were a solid source of leads (up to 40 percent of the market), expired listings and FSBOs were great sources for listings, homeowners were moving every five to seven years and only a small percentage were paying all cash.

The most recent report tells an entirely different story about where you need to focus to succeed in 2026.

The demographic shifts reported in this year’s Profile are profound. Today’s buyers and sellers are much older than in the past. According NAR, Baby Boomers accounted for 53 percent of sellers and 42 percent of buyers.

The most surprising statistic in this year’s report is the median age of repeat buyers: 62. That means half of all buyers were 62 or older. The median age for first-time buyers in this year’s Profile of Buyers and Sellers was 40, not 28 as it was a few short years ago.

A New Generation of Renters

Through decades of downturns, first-time buyers have always been a significant part of most markets, primarily because they didn’t have to sell another property to purchase. This is no longer the case.

NAR’s surveys found first-time buyers are now just 21 percent of the American market, down from 40 percent prior to the 2008 financial crisis.

Affordability is the primary driver behind these trends, pushing an entire generation to keep renting long past the age where their Boomer or Gen X parents were already building equity. High rents, student loans and lack of information about low down payment loans and down payment assistance have also kept many buyers trapped in rentals.

In 2025, 59 percent of first-time buyers relied on personal savings and 26 percent relied on financial assets, rather than family gifts.

For repeat buyers, today’s typical down payment today is 23 percent, the highest down payment number seen since 2003.

Even first-time buyers reported making larger down payments, typically 10 percent. That’s the highest share of the purchase price NAR said its surveys had recorded since 1989.

Another surprising statistic is that a whopping 30 percent paid all cash and did not need to finance their home.

Buyers Staying Put Longer

Since buyers are often purchasing later in life, they are also staying in their homes longer.

The average amount of time that a buyer stays in their home is now 11 years, the longest tenure NAR has ever recorded. Even more surprising, however, is that today’s buyer expects to be in their current home an average of 15 years, with 28 percent declaring they never intend to move again.

In fact, NAR is reporting that “in the last five years alone, homeowners have gained an average of $140,900 in wealth.”

A decade ago, job proximity was the dominant driver of home purchases at 52 percent. Today, that number has plunged to 31 percent. Buyers, especially Boomers, are moving to be closer their families and friends.

Steps for a More Successful 2026

While there has been a quantum shift in the demographics and motivations for purchasing, both buyers and sellers have become more reliant on their agents than ever before. Here are two ideas to leverage these demographic shifts to find more clients.

Today’s clients are not rookies, but older adults navigating a complex choice moving from renting to owning for the first time. Show them you understand the specific needs they’re facing.

Host workshops on “right-sizing” or making aging-in-place modifications for their current residence. You can also build relationships with financial advisors and estate planners, positioning yourself as a specialist in working with seniors and/or older single women. Invite these people for coffee or lunch, inquire about what special needs they’re seeing with their clients and how you might be able to assist them.

You can also educate and empower first-time buyers trapped in rentals.

Hold first-time buyer seminars focused upon how low-down-payment options work as well as doing a deep dive into down payment assistance. This is a tried-and-true approach, especially if you pair up with a lender who specializes in these types of financing. Keep in mind that most people in the U.S. still believe that you must have 20 percent down to purchase a house.

The bottom line is that when you turn the shifts in this year’s Profile of Buyers and Sellers into clear, client-centered action steps, you position yourself to thrive in 2026 and beyond. Don’t wait until 2026, to get started. The time to take action is now!

Bernice Ross is a nationally syndicated columnist, author, trainer and speaker on real estate topics. She can be reached at bernice@realestatecoach.com.