Gen Z Turns to Siblings to Afford Homes
A new report shows 22% of Gen Z homeowners purchased their home with a sibling in 2025. Co-purchasing outside of romantic partnerships is rising.
NEW YORK — Steep home prices and high mortgage rates are leading Gen Z to find innovative ways to become homeowners. One popular strategy seems to be co-purchasing homes with siblings.
What happened: According to Bank of America's 2025 Homebuyer Insights Report, 22% of Gen Z homeowners reported purchasing their home with a sibling in 2025.
According to a Fortune report, the figure is up from 12% in 2024 and 4% in 2023. At the same time, 30% of Gen Z buyers said they took on a second job to fund their down payment, compared to 28% the previous year and 24% the year before that.
Co-purchasing homes outside of romantic partnerships is on the rise. Almost 15% of Americans have done so, according to a 2024 JW Surety Bonds survey. Gen Z's main source of support is family: 21% of future Gen Z buyers plan to depend on family loans, compared to 15% of overall respondents.
Why it matters: Uncertainty in the housing market has led 60% of current homeowners and would-be buyers to be unsure if it is the right time to purchase. This is up from 57% in 2024 and 48% in 2023.
Despite challenges, BofA's head of consumer lending, Matt Vernon, said Gen Z is not waiting to take action: "They are finding creative ways to afford down payments and working hard to improve their financial futures."
The desire to own a home is still strong: "Even with the challenges they face, younger generations still understand the long-term value owning a home offers them," Vernon added.
U.S. Census Bureau data shows the homeownership rate for those under 35 fell to 36.3% in late 2024 but rose to 36.5% in early 2025. Redfin now reports home prices falling in 11 of the 50 largest metro areas, stating that the "balance of power in the U.S. housing market has shifted toward buyers."
Even though Zillow is projecting a 1.9% decline in values by year's end, Gen Z is not waiting for perfect conditions.
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