Who’s Most Likely to Sell Their Home in the Next 12 Months?
Younger Americans—particularly those who purchased homes during the pandemic—are expected to represent a significant portion of home sellers over the next year, according to a recent survey. In contrast, longtime homeowners, especially baby boomers, continue to hold on to their properties.
Nearly 1 in 5 current homeowners say they plan to sell within the next year. While those who bought in the past five years make up just 1 in 4 of all homeowners, they account for one-third of those intending to sell.
Homeowners in their 30s and 40s are projected to be the most active group of sellers. The survey found that 27% of homeowners aged 30–39 and 28% of those aged 40–49 plan to sell in the coming year. By comparison, only about 10% of older homeowners expect to move.
Thanks to ultra-low mortgage rates and rising property values during the pandemic, many younger homeowners have quickly built substantial equity. This financial cushion allows many to consider upgrading—even in today’s higher interest rate environment.
What’s Driving Younger Homeowners to Move?
Family and career changes are the leading motivators. Among homeowners in their 30s planning to sell, 37% cited job-related reasons, while 34% pointed to life events such as marriage, children, divorce, or the desire to be closer to family. For those in their 40s, family changes were the top reason at 44%, followed by job-related moves at 26%.
Despite rising rates, many of these homeowners still have favorable mortgage terms: 30% have rates below 4%, and over two-thirds are under 5%. That’s well below the current national average of around 6.5%, which is expected to remain elevated in the foreseeable future.
Boomers Are Staying Put—For Now
Only about 6% of homeowners aged 60 and older plan to sell in the near future. For those who do, the most common reasons include downsizing or relocating to be closer to family.
Still, the majority of boomers choose to stay. Nearly 60% own their homes outright, so rising mortgage rates don’t factor into their decisions.
But this may change in the years ahead. As aging makes home maintenance more difficult, many boomers may eventually become the next wave of sellers, passing their homes on to a new generation of buyers.
