Many Delay Life Milestones to Buy a Home

MADISON, N.J. — A majority (71%) of aspiring homeowners are delaying at least one major life decision – getting married, having children, career changes and even pet ownership – until they can afford to buy a home of their own, according to Coldwell Banker’s 2025 American Dream Report.

Coldwell Banker commissioned The Harris Poll to survey more than 3,000 U.S. adults, including nearly 900 aspiring homeowners, to understand how the American Dream has evolved and how homeownership is prioritized among other foundational life milestones. The report found that among aspiring homeowners:

• Nearly 1 in 5 are delaying marriage or having children until they can afford to buy a home (18% each)
• 17% each are putting off changing jobs/careers or getting a pet
• 16% are forgoing living independently
• 15% are delaying starting a business or going self-employed

The survey found that for younger generations, buying a home may be the new starting line for adulthood. More than 4 in 5 (84%) Gen Z (ages 18-28) aspiring homeowners are postponing at least one life decision until they can afford to buy a home, including nearly 1 in 3 (29%) that are delaying having children. However, more than half (53%) of aspiring first-time homeowners don't expect to buy their first home until age 40 or older, suggesting milestones like starting families could be pushed back even further until homeownership is achieved.

"While affordability remains a significant hurdle, the desire for homeownership among Americans is so strong that many are restructuring their lives to make it a reality – from postponing parenthood to moving in with family to reduce expenses," said Jason Waugh, president of Coldwell Banker Affiliates. "This report underscores that people view homeownership not only as a foundation for personal and financial stability, but also as one of the most effective vehicles for building long-term wealth – often surpassing the stock market in perceived value. However, when people delay major life events in pursuit of homeownership, it inevitably shapes patterns in household formation and consumer behavior. That's why unlocking homeownership matters, and why working with a trusted, knowledgeable real estate professional can be the key to helping people successfully navigate the market and achieve that milestone with confidence."

Key trends in the Coldwell Banker 2025 American Dream Report:

Homeownership still defines the American Dream

Despite affordability challenges, homeownership is central to the American Dream.

• 56% of Americans say homeownership represents what the American Dream means to them personally – more than those who say the same for getting married or having children (42%), retiring by 67 (39%), building a successful career or business (39%), or earning a college degree (23%).
• 85% of Americans believe homeownership is still part of the American Dream for most Americans.
• Among those who don't currently own a home, 83% want to buy someday, including 97% of Gen Zers and 93% of Millennials (ages 29-44).

Financial motivations may be a key factor: 65% of Americans say homeownership is a smarter long-term financial decision than renting in today's housing market, and nearly half (48%) view investing in real estate as a better wealth-building tool than investing in the stock market.

Making it happen: Americans are getting creative

Americans are finding new ways to navigate affordability challenges and forge a path to ownership.

• 84% are willing to make concessions, such as taking on a side job (42%), buying a less ideal home like something smaller or a fixer-upper (35%), or moving to more affordable areas (35%), to make buying a home possible.
• 36% have considered co-buying with family to afford homeownership, including 63% of Gen Z and 49% of Millennials; 33% have thought about co-buying with a non-romantic partner like a friend or coworker
• 19% of Gen Z and 14% of Millennials have already moved in with parents or in-laws to save to buy a home

Optimism persists

Looking ahead, Americans remain hopeful about reaching their goal of homeownership. Nearly two-thirds who don't currently own a home (63%) say they would like to buy a home within the next five years, including 70% of Gen Z and 72% of Millennials.

Survey methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Coldwell Banker from September 29 – October 1, 2025, among 3,068 adults ages 18+, among whom 885 are aspiring homeowners (i.e., don't currently own a home, but would like to someday). The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

Source: Coldwell Banker Real Estate

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