04/23/2024

Harsh Reality for Young Homebuyers

San Diegans who are between 25 and 30 years old may be graying by the time they can save enough to buy a median-priced home here.

A study released Wednesday by real-estate tracker Trulia says it would take 18 years for a San Diego household of college-educated young professionals earning the median income to afford a median-priced home in the county.

More specifically, a household earning $89,000 per year that can save 10 percent of its income for 18 years would then have enough money for the standard 20 percent downpayment on a median-priced home of $589,000 in the county, Trulia says. San Diego ranked as the nation’s fourth most difficult city to save to buy a home.

“They may be somewhat depressed by the fact that our study shows it takes 18 years for a median household, but you can make adjustments,” said Ralph McLaughlin, a Trulia economist. “You can go for a lower priced home, you can save more. … The other option is to put less than 20 percent down, which is becoming increasingly more common than it was 20 or 30 years ago.”

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