Blog: 2021 National Homeownership Market Survey

June 21, 2021

ClearPath Strategies fielded USMI’s 2021 National Homeownership Market Survey of 1,000 adults in the U.S. It was commissioned online April 13-21. Quotas were set to ensure a cross sample of age, gender, race, region, and education as well as homeowners, first-time homebuyers, and prospective homebuyers. The purpose was to understand the perceptions around homeownership, the mortgage process, and the challenges people face when trying to purchase a home. 

The survey finds that 7 in 10 say lack of affordable housing is the biggest homebuying challenge in the United States, while many do not understand down payment requirements. Housing insecurity (66 percent) and low supply (57 percent) closely followed. Socioeconomic disparities – such as lower income, lack of intergenerational wealth, limited savings, and the percentage of monthly income dedicated to housing costs – were reported to make these challenges more acute.  

“This survey underscores the need to address the nation’s undersupply of housing, and specifically affordable housing, because too many people are being left out of the market or face significant barriers to get into the housing market,” said Lindsey Johnson, President of USMI. “Our survey shows that low- to moderate-income households and underserved communities struggle to become homeowners due to several major factors including low housing supply, lack of affordable housing, and personal economic factors such as imperfect credit score or the inability to afford a 20 percent down payment.” 

USMI members continue to help millions of borrowers bridge the down payment gap. USMI supports sensible regulatory and legislative reforms to further address barriers to homeownership and promote an equitable and sustainable housing finance system backed by private capital. In collaboration with more than 100 organizations and individuals involved in the Black Homeownership Collaborative, USMI also supports policies that promote equity and work to increase homeownership rates among Black Americans.  

Full survey results can be found here. Press release on the survey can be found here.