07/16/2026
I learned today that the average first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old!
That statistic stopped me in my tracks.
Not because it's good or bad... but because it immediately raised another question.
How much of that story is national... and how much of it is local?
We constantly hear that the median home price in the U.S. is now over $400,000. That's an important statistic.
But then I looked at my own market here in El Paso. Our median home price is still well below the national median, even below $300,000.
So I started wondering...
Are national housing headlines accidentally discouraging people who live in more affordable markets?
To be clear, I'm not saying housing is "easy" to afford. Far from it! Interest rates, wages, insurance, taxes, and down payments all matter. But real estate has always been local.
Someone shopping in San Francisco is playing a very different game than someone shopping in El Paso.
So maybe the better question isn't:
"Can Americans still afford homes?"
Maybe it's:
"Can you afford a home where you live?"
Those aren't necessarily the same question. I'm beginning to think that understanding your local market may be just as important as understanding the national one.
I'm curious to know your opinion...
when you hear that the "average home costs over $400,000," do you immediately think that's true where you live too?
