Are Gen Z Actually Buying Houses? Yep. Here’s What They’re Looking For.

For years, we’ve heard that Gen Z doesn’t want to buy houses.

They want flexibility. They want to travel. They want experiences. They want to work remotely. They want to live in the city. They want to spend $9 on an iced coffee and apparently never own real estate.

Well…somebody forgot to tell Gen Z.

Gen Z is buying houses.

Not in the same numbers as older generations, and certainly not without some financial gymnastics, but this generation is officially making its way into the housing market.

And if you’re wondering what that looks like here in Kansas City, there’s actually a pretty interesting story to tell.

So…How Many Gen Zers Own Homes?

According to Redfin, 27.1% of Gen Z households owned a home in 2025, up from 26.1% in 2024.

That’s more than one in four.

Of course, there’s an important caveat: Gen Z is still young. Redfin’s analysis includes households headed by Gen Zers, and the generation spans a wide range of ages and life stages.

And nationally, Gen Z still represents a relatively small portion of actual home purchases.

The National Association of REALTORS® reported that Gen Z accounted for 4% of home buyers in its 2026 generational trends report, based on purchases made between July 2024 and June 2025. That’s up from 3% in the previous year’s report.

So no, Gen Z isn’t taking over the housing market tomorrow. But they’re here. And they’re becoming a group real estate professionals can’t exactly ignore.

They’re Buying Earlier Than You Might Think

The typical first-time homebuyer is now 35 years old, according to Redfin. That’s a pretty big shift from the image many of us have of the first-time buyer being a 26-year-old with a starter home, two cars and somehow enough money for a 20% down payment.

Today, buying a first home is taking longer. Affordability, higher home prices, mortgage rates and the challenge of saving a down payment have all made getting through the front door more difficult.

And that’s particularly important for Gen Z. They’re entering adulthood during a housing market where the traditional path of:

Graduate → get a job → save money → buy starter home

has become more like:

Graduate → get a job → pay rent → wonder where the heck the down payment money went → research mortgage programs at 11:47 p.m.

But some Gen Z buyers are finding a way in.

Gen Z Isn’t Necessarily Buying the “Starter Home” We Used to Picture

One of the biggest misconceptions about young buyers is that they’re all looking for the exact same thing previous generations wanted. That’s not necessarily the case.

Gen Z buyers are purchasing a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and condos, and affordability plays a major role in determining where and what they buy.

Redfin found that Gen Z owns a relatively small share of America’s larger homes—just 2.2% of homes with three or more bedrooms. That isn’t exactly surprising. A 23-year-old buying a four-bedroom suburban house is the exception, not the rule. But it does highlight something important: Gen Z buyers are often making trade-offs.

Maybe the house is smaller. Maybe it’s farther from the hottest neighborhood. Maybe the kitchen isn’t Instagram-ready. Maybe the basement isn’t finished. Maybe it needs a little work. And maybe that’s okay. A first home doesn’t have to be a forever home.

And Yes, Mom and Dad May Be Part of the Equation

Here’s another reality of today’s housing market: some young buyers are getting help from family.

According to a 2025 Redfin survey, 14.8% of Gen Z buyers reported receiving a cash gift from family to help with their down payment. That’s not exactly shocking when you look at how much housing costs have changed. It also doesn’t mean every Gen Z homeowner had their parents hand them a check for $100,000.

Family assistance can take a lot of forms, including gifts, loans, co-signing, shared living arrangements or simply having family members who can help with expenses while a buyer saves. For some buyers, that assistance can be the difference between “Maybe someday” and “Let’s go see this house.”

What Does This Mean for Kansas City?

This is where things get particularly interesting.

Kansas City isn’t immune to the affordability challenges facing younger buyers, but our housing market offers something that can be harder to find in some of the country’s most expensive metros: Options.

A Gen Z buyer with a particular budget may have very different choices depending on where they’re willing to live.

Someone looking for a lower price point may consider areas farther from the urban core. Another buyer may prioritize proximity to restaurants, entertainment and employment centers and accept a smaller home in exchange.

And that’s one of the biggest advantages of working with a real estate professional who knows the Kansas City market.

The question isn’t simply:

“What can I afford?”

It’s:

“Where does my budget actually work?”

A $300,000 budget can look very different depending on the Kansas City neighborhood, municipality, property type and condition.

That’s where the fun part begins.

Gen Z May Be More Willing to Compromise

Previous generations sometimes approached the first home as a checklist:

• Three bedrooms
• Two bathrooms
• Big backyard
• Two-car garage
• Finished basement
• Open kitchen
• Nice neighborhood
• New-ish everything
• Preferably no projects because…who has time for that?

Today’s younger buyers may be more willing to decide what’s actually important.

Maybe they want:

• A shorter commute over an extra bedroom.
• A great neighborhood over a huge house.
• A manageable mortgage over granite countertops.
• A home office over a formal dining room.
• Location over square footage.

And honestly, that’s not a bad way to shop for a house.

Every buyer has a different list of priorities. The trick is figuring out which things are must-haves and which things are merely nice-to-haves that looked really good on Pinterest.

They’re Also Not Waiting for Marriage and Kids

Here’s another interesting shift.

The National Association of REALTORS® found that 35% of Gen Z buyers in its latest generational trends report were single women, the highest share among the generations studied.

Another 17% were unmarried couples, also the highest share among the generations. In other words, the old assumption that homeownership comes after marriage and children isn’t necessarily holding up.

For some Gen Z buyers, the motivation is much simpler:

“I want a place of my own.”

And there’s nothing particularly revolutionary about that.

But Let’s Not Pretend It’s Easy

Before we start celebrating Gen Z’s great homeownership comeback, there’s an important reality check. Buying a home is still expensive.

More than one-quarter of Gen Z households owned a home in 2025, but younger generations continue to have significantly lower homeownership rates than older generations. And according to Redfin’s 2025 survey, Gen Z was also the generation most likely to report struggling with housing costs.

So yes, Gen Z is buying. But many are having to get creative about how they do it.

That could mean:

• Saving longer
• Buying a smaller home
• Looking at less expensive neighborhoods
• Considering condos or townhomes
• Using down-payment assistance programs
• Receiving family assistance
• Buying with a partner
• Taking on a home that needs some work
• Or simply waiting until the numbers make sense

There isn’t one “right” way to become a homeowner.

What Gen Z Buyers Should Know Before They Start Looking

If you’re a Gen Z buyer thinking, Okay, this all sounds great, but how am I actually supposed to buy a house? — start with the numbers.

Get your finances in order.
Know your income, debts, credit situation and monthly budget before falling madly in love with a house you can’t comfortably afford.

Talk to a lender early.
A pre-approval can help you understand what you’re actually able to spend and what your monthly payment could look like.

Don’t assume you need 20% down.
There are multiple loan programs and down-payment options available depending on your circumstances.

Figure out your priorities.
Do you actually need three bedrooms? Or would you rather have a smaller house in the neighborhood you love?

Be willing to look outside your first-choice neighborhood.
Kansas City has a lot of communities, and sometimes moving a few miles can make a surprisingly big difference in what your money buys.

Think beyond the listing photos.
A house with ugly paint can be changed. A kitchen can be remodeled. A backyard can be landscaped.

So, Are Gen Z Buying Houses?

Yep. They’re just entering the market under very different circumstances than their parents or grandparents did.

They’re buying fewer homes than older generations. They’re often buying later than previous generations. And many are having to make compromises, get creative with financing or get a little help along the way.

But they’re buying. And as more Gen Zers move into their late 20s and 30s, we’re likely to see their presence in the housing market continue to grow.

The bigger question isn’t whether Gen Z wants to own homes. It’s what kind of homes they’ll choose to own—and what they’ll decide is actually worth paying for.

And here in Kansas City, that’s a pretty interesting question. Because if there’s one thing KC real estate has going for it, it’s options. You don’t have to buy the biggest house. You don’t have to buy the fanciest house. You don’t even have to buy the house with the trendy kitchen island that could comfortably seat 14 people even though you know approximately four people.

You just need to find the home—and the neighborhood—that makes sense for your life and your budget.

Thinking About Buying Your First Home in Kansas City?

Whether you’re 23, 33 or somewhere in between, buying your first home can feel like a giant puzzle with approximately 47,000 pieces.

That’s where having someone who knows the Kansas City market can help. At Dani Beyer Real Estate, we help buyers figure out not just what they can buy, but where their money makes the most sense.