Investors Dominate U.S. Housing Market Amid Affordability Crisis for Traditional Buyers
In Q1 2024, investors bought nearly 27% of homes sold, the highest share in five years, as traditional buyers struggle with rising costs and mortgage rates.
Overview
In the first quarter of 2024, investors acquired 27% of homes sold, the highest percentage in five years.
A total of 265,000 homes were purchased by investors from January to March, reflecting a 1.2% increase from last year.
The U.S. housing market has faced a sales slump since early 2022 due to rising mortgage rates, affecting traditional buyers.
Home sales have reached their lowest levels in nearly 30 years, prompting more purchases by investors amid affordability challenges.
Approximately 20% of single-family homes in the U.S. are owned by investors, highlighting the growing shift in the housing market.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the narrative around real estate investors' increasing market share as a troubling trend, highlighting the struggles of traditional homebuyers. Both emphasize rising prices and high borrowing costs, suggesting a systemic issue that favors investors over average buyers, reflecting a concern for housing accessibility and market equity.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Investors purchased nearly 27% of homes sold in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2024, which is the highest share in five years.
Investor activity has slightly increased with investors buying 13% of homes in 2024, a modest rise from previous years, while investor selling also hit a record high, resulting in the smallest net investor buying activity in five years. Smaller investors have become a growing majority of investor buyers.
The growing share of homes owned by investors, now about 20% of single-family homes, has contributed to affordability challenges for traditional buyers, especially as home sales have slumped and mortgage rates have risen, limiting availability and increasing competition.
Most investors in the U.S. housing market are smaller-scale 'mom-and-pop' investors who typically own three to ten properties, rather than large institutional investors, and they have been increasingly influential in recent years.
Midwestern states such as Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas have emerged as focal points for investor home purchases, reflecting growing interest in more affordable markets.
History
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