Millennials are trapped on opposite sides of the same issue.
One group bought early, locked in low rates, and isn’t moving. The other is still trying to get in—but keeps running into the same wall: affordability.
That divide isn’t anecdotal.
It’s showing up clearly in the data. Recent findings from Zonda’s annual millennial survey point to a growing split between homeowners who got in early and those still trying to get their foot in the door.
Buyers are still there. They just can’t step into what’s being built. So they adapt—relocating, lowering expectations, stretching budgets. Renting isn’t the plan. It’s the waiting room.
Meanwhile, your traditional move-up buyer is locked in place, (which may be great but these families may be busting at the seams), which squeezes the middle of your pipeline.
Here’s the signal: the next deals won’t come from perfect buyers, but come from “almost” buyers, that is constrained ones who are willing to make concessions to get out of the waiting room or house that’s getting too small and move onto to the next phase of their life.
Because the opportunity isn’t in chasing demand. It’s identifying and converting the demand everyone else is missing.
Read the full article here: The Millennial Split: Who Owns, Who’s Still Waiting
