Gen Z homeowners? Yes, more in their 20s are managing to buy despite the odds

National Gen Z homeowners? Yes, more in their 20s are managing to buy despite the odds May 15, 20265:00 AM ET Jennifer Ludden Francisco Vazquez, 27, stands in front of his new home in Milwaukee, Wis. He was able to buy it after changing his career track and saving aggressively, including for one year while he lived rent free with his parents. Caleb Alvarado for NPR/2026-04-GenZHomeowners hide caption toggle caption Caleb Alvarado for NPR/2026-04-GenZHomeowners In Milwaukee, Francisco Vazquez, 27, recently achieved what feels out of reach for so many in America today, especially young people: He bought a cute yellow three-bedroom home with a basement, garage and yard. Like many a proud owner, he spent hours this spring fixing it up before moving in, starting with tearing out the carpet. "I sanded down all the hardwood floors, stained them again. I was adding polyurethane today. It's looking really nice," he said. Vazquez is part of a small but growing share of Gen Zers managing to buy a home despite historically unaffordable prices, and when the average age of first-time buyers has climbed to 40. They are outpacing millennials, many of whom also struggled to buy at the same age. They're less likely to use help from parents and far more likely to be single buyers, especially women. Sponsor Message "Gen Zers seem to have learned from millennials," said Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, which tracks buying trends. She also credits their use of social media for financial planning. "They're embracing the knowledge that is at hand." A job in fast food and an aggressive savings plan Vazquez changed careers to make homeownership happen. He'd majored in conservation science, on a scholarship with no student loans, then moved to Texas to work in that field. First he helped rescue alligators and place them in a sanctuary, then got a job at a zoo. He loves animals and said the jobs were "super fun." But the pay was so low he started q...