What to Expect From Homebuyers in 2026

An average of 3% to 5% of adults purchased a home each year over the last several years, but in 2026, 20% of adults intend to purchase a home, according to real estate marketing platform Zillow. To gain a better sense of who buyers in 2026 may be, Zillow analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data to understand the propective buyer, what they're looking for in a home, and the market conditions they're up against. 

Who is the typical prospective buyer?

Those currently looking for homes tend to be older, and while they are more likely to have higher salaries, they are also more likely to shop in affordable regions of the U.S.

According to the report, the median age of the prospective buyer is 39 years old, while the average trends higher at 40. While younger adults are more likely to report plans to buy a home than older generations, older prospective buyers are more likely to make those dreams a reality. Prospective buyers in their 70s and older are about 3.5 times as likely as those in their 30s and 4.8 times as likely as those in their 40s to successfully purchase a home, according to the report.

Additionally, the median prospective buyer reports a household income between $100,000 to $124,999, but while their incomes trend higher than the U.S. population overall, they are still focusing their home search in affordable parts of the U.S. At 41%, the largest share of prospective buyers live in the South, followed by the Midwest and West at 21%, and then the Northeast at 17%.

Climate risk may impact where homebuyers shop

In addition to affordability, prospective buyers are taking climate risk into consideration. The areas with the highest overall climate risk are in the West and Northeast. In these regions, 86% of buyers are impacted by at least one climate-related risk.

Meanwhile, buyers in the Midwest are the least likely to see the impacts of climate change. While 75% of buyers in this region are likely to be impacted by at least one climate risk, the region also reported the highest share of buyers likely to see no impact of climate change at 25%.

Homebuyers are seeking out space and flexibility

Prospective buyers are increasingly seeking out flexibility in their home purchases. One of the biggest features driving home purchases is the home office. After a reported drop from 2023 to 2024, the need for an extra room for a home office grew from 47% in 2024 to 51% in 2025.

Additionally, buyers are becoming more interested in accessory dwelling units and other more private office or studio spaces. The desire for a separate structure for a home office grew from 26% in 2024 to 30% in 2025. The percentage of prospective buyers who would be more likely to buy a home with an accessory dwelling unit also grew from 46% in 2024 to 55% in 2025.