College Debt is Postponing Homeownership

This is not new news, and I already wrote about this earlier on this blog, but it is worth noting it again: college debt is a factor in postponing homeownership and a lot of other life decisions.

I just read this article from RISMedia, written by Suzanne De Vita (online news editor) which reiterates with fresh figures this pressing problem facing our youngest generation.  The National Association of Realtors is actively supporting efforts to find solutions and educate students as they take on new debt.  See the following NAR report on student debt.  As a result a majority of millenials are postponing several significant aspects of their life, such as marriage, starting a family, or starting any retirement savings.

Do you think getting a loan for your education should be more expensive than getting a loan for a car or a house?

Thank you for reading,
Francis

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California: Millennials - Baby Boomers

The definition of a Millennial is not straightforward as evidenced by the many resources found online. However, if we follow the general guidelines of the Pew Research Center we can agree that these would be the people between the age of 19 and 35 as of 2016  (i.e. born between 1981 and 1997).
For the 3rd straight year nationwide, millennial homebuyers made up the largest part of all homebuyers: 35%, edging out Gen X (26%), boomers (31%) and the silent generation (9%).

Lots has been said and written about the level of indebtedness found associated with this slice of the American population (see for instance the article by Maya Pope-Chappell that I show on my previous post on my FB page:  "buried-in-debt millennials...").  Because they are the largest part of all homebuyers, we can only assume that more people nationwide would be engaged into the process of owning a home if the Millennials were not so saddled with student loans.  This could have in turn very positive repercussions on the US economy as a whole.

In California, these are some of the stats for Millennials and Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964):

Click on the picture to see it larger.

Thank you for reading,
Francis

Silicon Valley Real Estate
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non-profit organization worth noting: Partners for New Generations.

Student loans causing housing shift...

An analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that for the first time in at least a decade, households with student-loan debt are less likely to have a mortgage than those without student-loan debt.

Additionally, a survey by the National Association of Realtors found that 49% of Americans reported that student loan debt is a "huge obstacle" to homeownership.

I had already blogged in July of last year about student loans and the general concerns this is causing for the housing market; the average pay-off time for a student loan is 21 years! 
This is also the subject of an article just published in the SJ Merc. on Sept. 23 2014, indicating: a "consultant's study says 8% fewer houses sold in the U.S." (as a result of student debt levels).
The Consultant is John burns Consulting, an Irvine-based firm that advises homebuilders. The article is from Tim Logan of the Los Angeles Times.

Thanks for reading!
Francis


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Student-Loan Debt Keeps Buyers Out of the Market

Student-Loan Debt Keeps Buyers Out of the Market
 As we hear that Congress struggles with the "student loans" question, it is good to put it in perspective with a few facts. I thought the article below was kind of important to keep in mind.

 

The impact of student-loan debt on the nation's housing market has real estate analysts worried due to the importance of first-time buyers to the health of the market. Questions linger about whether the housing recovery will be limited as deeply indebted college graduates struggle to stabilize their finances, which means young, first-time purchasers are not entering into homeownership at traditional rates.

• According to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, first-time buyers comprised just 28 percent of purchases in the resale market during May. For comparison, typically these buyers make up 40 percent of purchases. The lower rate is not surprising when one considers the statistic that college graduates on average carry $21,402 in student loan debt, and troublingly, only 39 percent are in a capacity to repay. Clearly, many college graduates have no choice but to postpone the purchase of a home due to heavy debts from student loans.
• The homeownership rate for those individuals who are still paying off student loans is 36 percent lower than among their peers who have no student debt, according to research from the One Wisconsin Institute.
• Student-loan debt will remain a long-term issue because the average payoff time is 21 years, ranging from 17 years for those who attended college but did not get a degree to 23 years for those with graduate degrees.
  
• The country’s total outstanding student debt has surpassed $1.1 trillion. For recent graduates, the debt load averages just under $27,000, but an estimated 13 percent of outstanding balances range from $54,000 to $100,000.

Read the full story on the Los Angeles Times article from Kenneth R. Harney, 6/28/13.
Do you have any thoughts on the subject? Feel free to chime in!

Francis

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