Millennial homebuyers are making more trade-offs than older generations and are more likely to make concessions, such as location and budget, according to a Zillow study released Thursday.
Millennials between 24 and 38 years old make up the largest share of homebuyers, according to Zillow’s Consumer Housing Trends Report, which surveyed 13,000 household decision makers.
However, it’s not always a smooth road to home ownership. Only a quarter of Millennials put down a 20 percent down payment, and they are the generation that is most likely to compromise their budget. If Millennials do stay within their budget, they are more likely to sacrifice home size, a shorter commute, or location, according to the study.
About a third of Millennial and Generation Z (18 to 23 years old) buyers end up living in an area they hadn’t considered due to affordability or lack of inventory.
It doesn’t get easier on the seller side. Zillow found 58 percent of Millennials experience a deal falling through (compared to 41 percent of all sellers), and 89 percent make concessions to close a deal, such as lowering the price or paying a portion of closing costs (compared to 83 percent of all sellers).
Most Millennials also say they would do something differently, such as listing their home at a different price, if they could start over.
Despite these challenges, Seattle has seen a cooling real estate market over the last few months giving buyers a bit more breathing room.
Inventory continues to grow across the region – King County saw a 74.3 percent increase in August over 2017, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Single-family home prices in King County, which are the highest in Western Washington, have also declined slightly from May when median prices reached over $726,000.
