Huffington Post:

Grand Rapids, one of The Best Cities For Millennial Homebuyers, According To The National Association Of Realtors

Article/List link on HuffingtonPost.com

Excerpt:

source: Flickr / cncphotos

Median Home Price: $123,000  Job Growth: 4.2 percent

“In your 20s and early 30s, it’s hard not to notice the siren song of real estate. After all, mortgages rates are still at all-time lows and in many markets, buying can be cheaper than renting. You might also have been brought up to consider housing an investment and renting as ‘throwing money away.’

“If this sounds like your experience, then you might want to read up on this latest survey by the National Association of Realtors, who rounded up the hotspots where strong job growth and affordable home prices might persuade you to consider making the jump. According to their report, these are the markets that “are well-positioned to soon experience a rise in first-time buyers as the economy improves.” And, surprisingly enough, of the 100 metro areas that were analyzed (see below for more detail), some of the more popular millennial-based citiesdidn’t make the cut.

Realtor.org

NAR Identifies Best Purchase Markets for Aspiring Millennial Homebuyers

Full Article Link

Excerpt:

source: NAR

“NAR analyzed current housing conditions, job creation and population trends in metropolitan statistical areas¹ across the U.S. to determine the best markets for aspiring, leading edge Millennial² homebuyers. Austin, Texas and Salt Lake City were identified as top standouts for Millennials for having a young adult population with solid job growth rates and still relatively affordable home prices. Seven of the 10 metro areas recognized are in the Midwest and West.

“Lawrence Yun , NAR chief economist, says the homeownership rate for young adults under the age of 35 peaked in 2005 (43 percent) and fell to 36 percent in the first quarter of 2014³.

“‘Limited job prospects, student debt and flat wage growth have combined with tight credit conditions and low inventory to price Millennials out of some of the top cities such as New York and San Francisco,” he said. “However, NAR research finds that there are other metro areas Millennials are moving to where job growth is strong and homeownership is more attainable. These markets are well-positioned to soon experience a rise in first-time buyers as the economy improves.’

“NAR analyzed 100 metro areas that have a large Millennial presence, solid local job market conditions and strong migration patterns of young adults moving to that particular area to determine the best purchase prospects for young buyers. Housing affordability and inventory availability were also considered.”