Younger Canadians feel prepared to buy a first home

While homeowners of all ages agree that purchasing a house is a solid long term investment, there is a marked difference in today's 18-34 year old first time home buyers  actions and attitudes as compared to older generations aged 55+ when they were first time buyers of the same age.

Young Canadians aged 18-34 are more likely to feel they are financially ready to buy a house than their parents and grandparents were when they were purchasing their first home. What is motivating this belief? The TD Canada Trust Generational Homeownership Study reveals a trend by 18-34 year olds towards purchasing older homes and a significant increase in young homebuyers who are relying on financial assistance from family to make their home purchase a reality.

When asked what prompted them to consider buying their first home, just over half of younger Canadians (51%) said they felt financially ready compared to 37% of older Canadians 55+ when they were thinking of buying their first home. However, over a third of younger Canadians 18-34 (36%) said they could not have afforded their first home without help from family (compared to 16% of those 55+), and 27% said that they received money as a gift or borrowed from family/friends to put towards the purchase of their first home (compared to only 10% of those 55+).

When today's Canadians 55+ bought their first home, paying off their mortgage was a top priority; more important than it is to today's younger homebuyers. Today, less than half of young Canadian adults (49%) agree that paying off their mortgage is a first priority, compared to 64% of Canadians over 55.But for Canadians across all generations, their home is their biggest investment. Eighty-eight per cent of Canadian adults 18-34, 87% of Canadians 35-54 and 78% of 55+ all agreed that their first home was an investment for the future. Sixty-four per cent of younger Canadian adults 18-34 said that they put all their savings into their first home compared to 62% of Canadians 55+ and 54% of Canadians 35-54.

The research revealed that when it comes to getting a mortgage, young adults tend to shop around more than their older counterparts did. Sixty-two per cent of older Canadians were loyal to their own bank and received financing where they were already a customer, compared to 36% of younger homeowners who were more likely to shop around and take recommendations.

"There are so many different options available now, and easier access to information with the use of the internet, that it's no wonder today's first time homebuyer shops around a bit more," added Wisniewski. "It's a great idea to look around and see what's available. 30 years ago when people were looking for financing, they usually had limited choices. Now there are many options to explore with your bank including a variety of fixed rate mortgages, variable rate mortgages, and even green mortgages for buyers who want to lessen their footprint on the environment." tradingmarkets.com
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Younger Canadians feel prepared to buy a first home
Younger Canadians feel prepared to buy a first home
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