Homeownership is the new American dream, at least according to Zillow and ValueInsured. In a recent survey, Zillow reported that over half of Millennials associate homeownership with the American Dream, which should make sense as people between the ages of 18 and 34 are waiting way longer to buy their first home than ever before.
The era of white picket fences, two-story homes, and garages housing new (or almost new) cars is a thing of the past. It’s the ‘American Dream,’ a concept that has been ingrained deep into the middle class psyche over the past several generations, which more or less means that the United States is founded upon a meritocracy – that hard work and dedication will deliver what you desire. It’s built into the nation’s fabric.
Flexibility and Control Fuel ‘New American Dream’
Many Millennial Renters Would Buy a Home
If Only They Could Protect Their Nest Egg, Says New Survey
NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2016 – Despite an uncertain housing market, the American Dream of homeownership remains alive and well for modern consumers. The dream has just morphed a little with the times, especially for millennials.
Whether or not homeownership is the sure-fire investment it once was, modern consumers really do want to own their homes. But unlike past generations, they need extra assurance that they won’t be bankrupt by a housing market that’s still regaining its feet. Modern consumers also want some of the new flexibility and control that our modern rental society increasingly promises.
This worldview, at the core of the new American Dream, is supported by results of a new online survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of ValueInsured.
Among millennial renters (age 18 to 34):
Homeownership is important – Nine in 10 say it’s important to one day own their own home, or to become homeowners again.
But buying a home feels riskier than ever – Almost one-third of millennial renters (30 percent) lack confidence that they would get back their full down payment if they were to buy a home today and need to sell in the next 2-7 years.
Modern homebuyers want to preserve the flexibility they enjoy as renters – 69 percent of millennial renters said they would buy a home sooner if they had “down payment protection.”
Knowing the nest egg is protected provides confidence – 81 percent of millennial renters believe down payment protection would give people more confidence in buying a home.
“The new American Dream combines the satisfaction of ownership with the flexibility of renting,” said Cleve Bellar, chief marketing officer of ValueInsured. “Unlike their grandparents who bought a home to live in for 40 years, today’s consumers, children of the digital age, expect control over their home. Not the other way around.”
Nomadic Lifestyles
One reason modern consumers expect flexibility and control is that they change jobs and relocate often: The average employee tenure in the U.S. is 4.6 years overall, and just 3 years for millennials. Consumers also have the relatively new options of car sharing, music streaming and paying for smartphone service as they go.
For prospective homebuyers, flexibility and control means safeguarding their nest egg – their down payment – just as securely as the banks protect their mortgage loans.
“The banks and financial institutions have always been protected from the risks of a fluctuating market,” said Joe Melendez, CEO of ValueInsured. “We’ve entered a new era when the modern homebuyer will also be protected. That's consumer empowerment – certainly one of the markers of the new American Dream."
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of ValueInsured from October 1-5, 2015 among 2,019 adults ages 18 and older, among whom 1,209 are homeowners and 746 are renters. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Daphne Baxter at Daphne.Baxter@valueinsured.com.
About ValueInsured
ValueInsured, Inc., through its licensed affiliate, is the only provider of down payment protection for modern homebuyers, giving them greater control, confidence and flexibility in a volatile real estate market – all for the cost of a lunch per month. Led by a team of professionals experienced in every part of the home buying process, ValueInsured’s +PlusSM down payment protection is easy, affordable and backed by one of the world’s largest re-insurance companies, with over $8 billion in capital www.valueinsured.com.
###
Media Contact
Mollie Holman
Brodeur Partners for ValueInsured
(646) 746-5611
Many Millennial Renters Would Buy a Home If Only They Could Protect Their Nest Egg, Says New Survey
Despite an uncertain housing market, the American Dream of homeownership remains alive and well for modern consumers. The dream has just morphed a little with the times, especially for millennials.
Whether or not homeownership is the sure-fire investment it once was, modern consumers really do want to own their homes. But unlike past generations, they need extra assurance that they won’t be bankrupt by a housing market that’s still regaining its feet. Modern consumers also want some of the new flexibility and control that our modern rental society increasingly promises.
This worldview, at the core of the new American Dream, is supported by results of a new online survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of ValueInsured.
I turned 40 last year. I remember it was not too long ago when the subject of Generation X was a gravitational force in the media, in academics and even in public policies. In the last decade – as an avid consumer of pop culture and an athlete who competes physically with younger people – I have learned our new generational obsession is now the Millennials. I understand Millennials are the largest demographic population in the history of America – 92 millions strong compared to Babyboomers’ 77 millions – and I heard they are do-gooders, more globally aware, and friendlier to the environment. All sounds terrific.
But as I dig deeper as a marketer, the news was not all rosy with Millennials. And this includes the American Dream.
Hint: it's affordability and risk
Andrea Riquier wrote in the MarketWatch article Why first-time home buyers are staying on the sidelines that the missing-link into housing growth is first-time homebuyers and the primary reason for this miss is home prices. While that is certainly true, what is not so transparent but is eluded to are the human, emotional elements at play here.
More consumers are turning to mobile technologies to shop for mortgages. With new startups offering customers mortgage quotes in a matter of minutes, lenders may find themselves forced to get with the times and develop new technologies that will make it easier and faster to connect with today’s tech savvy homebuyer.
