We now know that minorities have become a majority of America's young. More than half of all infants born in the U.S. last year were minorities or multiracial.
How has this trend affected the real estate industry? One way to study this is to create a picture of the emerging Hispanic home buyer.
The Changing Face of the Home Buyer
According to the National Association of Realtors' "Profile of Buyers and Sellers," whites make up the majority of home purchases -- about 85 percent.
It's the remaining home buyers -- those that make up the other 15 percent -- we are concerned with. When broken down, NAR's data showed in 2011:
These numbers were fairly consistent when compared to the same data for 2010.
"The rapidly growing U.S. Hispanic population is entering the housing market in increasing numbers," said Movoto founder and CEO Henry Shao. "As this segment of the population makes up an ever larger percentage of home buyers, the real estate industry will need to adapt. This is why Movoto has partnered with a network of top-rated, Spanish speaking agents around the country."
First-time Hispanic home buyers are on the rise.
Why are there more so many Hispanic home buyers?
The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) stated in a recent report the Hispanic population in America has expanded 3.5 times between 1980 and 2010.
"Because of such population increase, Hispanics were responsible for most of the overall population growth in the country over the past decade," the NAHREP wrote in its "2011 State of Hispanic Homeownership" report. "This continued population trend is expected to provide a strong labor pool, a driving force in the economy, and an increasingly key market for homeownership."
Gerardo "Jerry" Ascencio, NAHREP's president, told Movoto there are a number of reasons for this market trend. In general he said Hispanics:
"The Hispanic community is still very excited about purchasing their own home," Ascencio said. "For the Hispanic community purchasing a piece of property is much more than purchasing property, it's a way of saying, 'I have arrived.'"
Part of this trend stems from the increase in Hispanic purchasing power. Ascencio said in the next 48 months the country will see a 50 percent increase in Hispanic purchasing power. Put into a dollar figure, there will be an increase from $1.1 trillion to $1.6 trillion.
High Aspirations: Socioeconomic Reasons Behind the Trend
In addition to the increase in population and purchasing power, there are socioeconomic reasons.
Among the factors NAHREP used to point to the potential rise of the "Hispanic Mega Market" are surveys that indicated, in general, Latinos are more motivated than the general population to purchase a home -- for emotional and financial reasons.
"Nobody in the Hispanic community dreams and aspires to be a tenant," Ascencio said.
For example:
The story of the housing collapse is well worn. After years of excess the bubble collapsed in on itself and overnight homeowners were underwater. Ascencio argued there is a second story, a generation waiting in line that is just now beginning to emerge.
"That new generation, that is untapped, is ready to jump in now, and that's why there is so much excitement about this," Ascencio said. "This population has been underserved. The American dream is still very vibrant in the Hispanic heart."
Follow David J. Cross on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Movoto
Are, we talking a stick built house on a permanent foundation = real property ~
OR,
A factory built home on axles in a rented space in a mobile home park = personal property?
I'm in my third place. "Real property", great neighborhoods all. The other two pay for themselves with the rent cash.
What I *don't* have is a cool lift kit and surfboard like on your profile. But that's because I understand depreciation, so buying what you call "personal property" on credit has never been my thing (I drive a reliable old 100k+ mile sedan I bought years ago and gets me there), and I work too hard to have time to surf. Please tell me that's aspirational - or did you actually own that or a similar money pit?!?
So the joke's on you. You keep hating, and I'll keep investing. Ain't freedom grand?
One thing though, when we both retire, I won't complain if I end up funding your retirement after a lifetime of lift-kits and silly stuff on installments, and you don't complain if I end up being your landlord. Deal?
BTW hispanic nations build with brick, masonry and concrete and think that "stick houses" are laughably brittle (I say they're also easier to build and modify so it kind of evens out). It's not uncommon for a house down there to last hundreds of years with little more than paint as maintenance. I mention it because it adds to the laughable cognitive dissonance of your post. Writing "stick built" really made me smile. You're so cute!
You can't make this kind of humor up, man, thanks!
What would it do to the US housing market if Romney's attrition through enforcement plan would make 11 million people flee the country? Reversely, legalization would boost home sales and the housing market would recover faster.
OR ~
Obama, forceably deporting illlegal DREAMers = 1 every 79 seconds, 24/7 for his 41-month presidency?