Median first-time buyer age: 40
The National Association of Realtors found the median age of a first-time homebuyer is now 40, up from 29 in 1981, signaling a severe affordability crisis.
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House Passes Housing Bill, Daily Wire $2B IPO, Knicks Trash Can Lady Fired | PBD Podcast #823
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Jun 24, 2026
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Starter Homes Are Gone — and So Is the Path to the Middle Class
At 18:42 · chapter starts 17:40
Jeff Snyder drops the stat that anchors the conversation: NAR data shows the median first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old. [1] — Jeff Snyder "Median first-time buyer age: 40: The National Association of Realtors found the median age of a first-time homebuyer is now 40, up from 29 …" 18:42 Patrick Bet-David builds on this with a historical analysis showing that the home-price-to-income ratio was 2.3x in 1970 and has ballooned to 5x nationally today — and as high as 13x in the most expensive metro areas. Tom Ellsworth shares a personal story of buying a 1,400-square-foot home in Woodland Hills, California for $205,000 at age 24 in 1986, describing it as 'normal' at the time. The group examines how the average American home size grew from 1,600 to 2,600 square feet over the same period, arguing that the push toward bigger homes priced out the starter-home market. Humberto notes that one in three Americans under 35 now live with their parents. The panel agrees that without accessible starter homes, young families can never build equity, and the homeownership ladder effectively disappears.
The Age-40 Homebuyer: America's Hidden Crisis
In 1981, the average first-time homebuyer was 29. Today the median is 40. Home-price-to-income ratios have ballooned from 2.3x in 1970 to 5x nationally — and 7 to 13x in cities like Miami, LA, and New York. Eventually, the host warns, there won't be any buyers at all.
1 in 3 under-35s live with parents
One in three Americans under 35 still live with their parents, illustrating the scale of the housing affordability crisis.
Home price-to-income ratio: 5x nationally
In 1970 the median home cost 2.3x the median household income; today it is 5x nationally and 7–13x in cities like Miami, LA, and New York.
Dave Ramsey's Millionaire Study: Engineers Beat Doctors
Dave Ramsey's survey of over 10,000 millionaires found that engineers top the list, followed by accountants and teachers. Doctors didn't crack the top five. The panel digs into why: it's not income, it's analytical discipline and the avoidance of lifestyle inflation that builds wealth.
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