Homebuyers Under 25 Not Buying Houses in Las Vegas, Report Says
LAS VEGAS, NV – Members of Generation Z – which are comprised of individuals under the age of 25, or anyone born after 1997 – are the youngest segment of the nation’s homebuying community, and this demographic makes up the smallest percentage of those purchasing houses in Las Vegas, a new report says.
According to a new study from Construction Coverage, only 3.3 percent of all home mortgage loans were taken out in Las Vegas by members of Generation Z in 2023, the least of any age group in Southern Nevada; this goes below the national average for this specific demographic, which is 5 percent.
In contrast, Construction Coverage spokesperson Mike LaFirenza noted that the average age of homebuyers in the country has reached its highest level in years, signifying that younger generations are encountering difficulty in affording housing amid high prices and home loan interest rates.
Las Vegas’ high demand from older buyers creates stiff competition with the percentage of homebuyers aged 55 and older ranking third among large metros at 27.6 percent.” LaFirenza said. “This competition is particularly tough on younger homebuyers, who often lack pre-existing equity for their down payments, making their offers less competitive.”
Some experts say that Vegas’ overall lack of generational wealth, combined with many local occupations being in the service industry – which is not known for paying high wages at early, entry-level positions, with high-earners only achieving that status after achieving seniority – could be playing into the barriers that Gen Z is encountering.
Competition from affluent transplants from California are also figuring into the situation, as is the remote nature of portions of Nevada’s professional workforce, which do no necessitate the purchase of homes. And the median sale price for a single-family home threatening to set a new all-time record isn’t helping younger buyers, either, LaFirenza said.
Home prices have skyrocketed in the area, with the median sale price now over 50 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels,” he said. “Even with a relatively lower cost of living, the financial hurdles for younger buyers are substantial. With cost-of-living-adjusted incomes ranked 37th out of 53 large metros, Las Vegas’ affordability gap keeps ownership just out of reach for many in their early twenties.”
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