All-cash home sales drop to lowest share in 6 years

💪 Hello Thursday. Let’s get things across the finish line.

Today's newsletter is 576 words — a 2.5-minute read.

1. All-cash home sales drop to lowest share in 6 yrs

According to a Redfin report, 28.8% of homebuyers paid all cash in March, down from 29.8% a year earlier. That ties 2021 for the lowest March share since 2020.

All-cash purchases peaked at nearly 35% in 2023 as mortgage rates climbed to nearly 8%, the highest level in 20 years.

Fewer all-cash purchases could be good news for typical homebuyers, as it may slightly reduce competition from wealthier buyers. Cash buyers often have an advantage because sellers see their offers as faster and less risky.

2. Gen Z women outpace men in homeownership

According to a survey from the NAR, single Gen Z women are outpacing their male counterparts when it comes to buying homes. They accounted for 35% of buyers in their generation, while single Gen Z men represented 18%. No other generation had a higher share of single women buyers than Gen Z.

Across all generations, single women made up a quarter of all buyers between July 2024 and June 2025. Single men, meanwhile, accounted for 11% of purchases.

Overall, Gen Z buyers — defined in the survey as those born between 1999 and 2011 — represented just 4% of all home purchases during the survey period.

3. Catch up quick

🥇 Flower Mound ranks No. 3 best place to live in the U.S., No. 1 in Texas. (USNews)

🌍 International buyers are slowly returning to the U.S. (Realtor.com)

⏳ Homes for sale in 2026 are on the market a median of 66 days, up from 57 days in 2025. (BestInterest)

😕 Consumer confidence slips for first time in months. (TheHill)

A MESSAGE FROM WHARTON ONLINE

Wharton Online's Real Estate Investing & Analysis Certificate Program starts June 8 — learn institutional-grade analysis and access a 5K+ global network. Use code SAVE300 for $300 off.

Explore the Program

4. Nearly 1 in 5 homebuyers in 2025 had military ties

According to the 2025 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 19% of homebuyers in 2025 said they or someone in their household was an active-duty service member or veteran.

Here are the key takeaways:

• Active-duty military buyers were younger, with a median age of 38, and were more likely to purchase due to a job-related relocation (32%). They also moved farther than any other group, with 41% relocating more than 500 miles from their previous home.

• Veterans showed a different trend. With a median age of 64, most were repeat buyers (88%) and were more likely to prioritize living closer to friends and family rather than relocating for work (19%).

• VA loans remained a major financing tool in 2025, used by 69% of active-duty buyers and 55% of veterans. More than one-third of active-duty military buyers (36%) and 28% of veterans purchased homes with no down payment.

5. Luxury home prices are surging

According to a report from Redfin, the median luxury home sale price rose 3.6% year over year to $1.39 million during the three months ending April 30—more than double the 1.4% increase in non-luxury home prices.

Pending sales of luxury homes jumped 4.3% year over year, marking the largest gain since January 2025. That slightly outpaced the 4% increase in non-luxury pending sales, which saw their biggest gain since December 2024.

☀️ Thank you for starting your day with us!

If you like this newsletter, your friends may too. Forward it to a friend, and let them know they can subscribe here.

Interested in advertising to 35k+ Texas Realtors? Email [email protected]