Baby boomers, aged 60 to 78, are currently the most active participants in the U.S. housing market, representing 42% of buyers and 53% of sellers, as per the National Association of REALTORS®' 2025 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report. Their motivations include relocating closer to family and friends, retirement, and downsizing. Notably, a significant portion of this demographic is purchasing homes outright with cash, leveraging substantial equity accumulated from long-term homeownership. This financial advantage allows them to navigate high home prices and elevated mortgage rates more effectively than younger buyers, who often face affordability challenges.

Despite their market dominance, baby boomers, like other age groups, rely heavily on real estate professionals to assist in finding suitable properties, negotiating terms, and managing paperwork. The expertise of agents and brokers remains crucial in facilitating successful transactions across all generations. 

Sources

Tracey, M. D. (2025, April 1). Flexing their equity, baby boomers are driving the housing market. REALTOR® Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.nar.realtor/magazine/real-estate-news/flexing-their-equity-baby-boomers-are-driving-the-housing-market

1. National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). (2025). 2025 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report. Retrieved from https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/home-buyer-and-seller-generational-trends

• 2025 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report:

  • Provided data indicating baby boomers make up 42% of buyers and 53% of sellers.

  • Highlighted key motivations for moving: proximity to family/friends, retirement, and downsizing.

  • Reported that many boomers are paying in cash, leveraging accumulated home equity.

  • Addressed reliance on real estate professionals across all age groups.

2. Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Demos, T. (2025, January 15). What the record wave of new 65-year-olds means for Wall Street. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/us-record-65-year-olds-economic-impact-8f5ea152

• Published analyses showing that baby boomers dominate real estate transactions in various U.S. regions.

• Noted the cash purchasing trend among boomers due to their long-term equity gains.

3. MarketWatch. Swaminathan, A. (2023, August 5). Millennials are losing the home-buying edge to baby boomers. MarketWatch. Retrieved from https://www.marketwatch.com/story/millennials-are-losing-the-home-buying-edge-to-baby-boomers-e82cc5d8

• Discussed generational home buying trends, particularly baby boomers’ financial advantages over younger buyers.

• Emphasized how higher mortgage rates disproportionately affect first-time and younger buyers, giving boomers a market edge.