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M R EP O RT | 39 O R I G I NAT I O N S E R V I C I N G DATA G O V E R N M E N T S E C O N DA R Y M A R K E T THE LATEST ORIGINATION Most First-Home Shoppers Misunderstand Their Budgets Several factors can contribute to affordability for Gen Y's aspiring homeowner, but shoppers must first fully understand their financial situations, economists say. M ost Americans shop- ping for their first home were surprised, for better or worse, at what they were able to afford. Forty-seven percent were surprised because their budget was larger than expected, and 21% were surprised because it was less, making more than two-thirds (68%) of shoppers seemingly un- der-informed about their financial situation as it relates to what they can afford when buying a home, according to a January 7-11 survey by Realtor.com via HarrisX. "The dramatic decline of mort- gage rates in 2020 was a pleas- ant surprise for many buyers," Realtor.com Senior Economist George Ratiu said. "For first-time buyers, especially, the drop in the 30-year mortgage rate from 3.65% in March 2020 to a record-low 2.65% in January has provided unexpected leverage. Lower rates allowed many buyers to stretch and buy more expensive homes while keeping their monthly bud- get the same." Ratiu, in his article, emphasizes the number of millennials entering the homebuying market. "The wave started in 2020, with 4.7 million millennials turning 30, an age when many people consider buying a home," he said. "This wave continues in 2021, with another 4.8 million members of the Gen Y generation turning 30. The generational progression will peak in 2022, 2023, and 2024 when 4.8 million people will turn 30, each year." And he goes on to bullet the factors that go into affordability for this demographic. Those include: The willingness to compromise on wish-list features or budget: "Twenty-one percent surveyed had to expand their search into less expensive neighborhoods. Twenty percent had to go up in budget to get it all, and 18% had to eliminate some wish list features— namely a garage, large backyard, finished basement, and pool—to stay in budget," Ratiu said. Ability to endure a bidding war: "Even with shortened wish lists or expanded bud- gets, nearly half (49%) of recent first-time homebuyers and more than a third (39%) of prospective first-time homebuyers said they fell in love with a home last year that they were outbid on or later learned they couldn't afford," the economist wrote. Support from family: "Half of recent first-time home buyers were able to save for a home in less than three years, mostly by setting aside a portion of their paycheck each month (50%), cutting out discretionary spend- ing (33%), and saving lump sum money like tax refunds (32%)," Ratiu noted. "Plus, help from family could get you there: 52% of Americans who bought their first home in 2020 said they got help with their down payment from friends or family. The number one lender? Their parents."