According to a new report, co-buying homes platonically is a growing trend that is developing among homeowners and buyers nationwide, NerdWallet experts explained.
Kate Wood, a lending expert from NerdWallet, informed Fox News Digital that co-buying is appealing due to the fact that housing costs in the United States are “incredibly expensive.” She also mentioned that many individuals are purchasing homes together with friends and relatives.
“What we’re seeing rising now is co-buying between friends,” Wood said. “Or people who are family members, but basically buying a home with someone that you’re in a non-romantic relationship with.”
Homebuying Trends Continue to Vary Across U.S.
The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2025 Profile indicated that first-time homebuyers were composed of 25% single women and 10% single men, with the proportion of married couples remaining constant at 50%. This data was collected from July 2024 to June 2025. By comparison, of all homebuyers, 61% are married couples, 21% are single women, and 9% are single men.
NAR also disclosed that the median age of first-time homebuyers increased from 38 in 2024 to 40. In 2025, purchases by first-time homeowners accounted for 21% of all buyers.
Co-buying strategist at Joynt, Kristina Modares, shared her experiences of co-buying with friends, family, and a romantic partner.
“I tried to buy a house when I was 23,” Modares said. “I don’t know why I thought I could do it on my own,” she told Fox News Digital. “I was just like, yeah, like I’m living with five roommates. Like, I can do this. And then looking into it, I couldn’t get a proof or mortgage. So I asked a friend, and he was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll buy a house with you.’ So that’s how I kind of got into it.”
Further, Wood stated that in 2024, a quarter of home purchases were made by single women.
“It is really intriguing that it’s single women who make up this larger proportion because it is substantially higher than single men,” Wood said.
Wood stated that this indicates a change from “old-fashioned” methods to a contemporary approach to homeownership.
“Now we’re seeing people do things in the order that makes the most sense for them for where they’re at in their lives financially, but also emotionally, just simply how they’re feeling, what their readiness is for these different milestones at different times,” she said.
Modares cautioned that the choice to engage in a co-purchase should not be considered trivial, emphasizing the need for readiness to “vet yourself” and demonstrate good partnership qualities. Modares added that this trend can motivate people to view homeownership as an investment.
“The American dream is really being re-imagined in many ways. So it’s kind of allowing more options and ways to dream,” Modares said. “Co-buying is kind of evolving to meet Americans where they are today. I think it’s also the world’s changing in a lot of different ways that’s pushing us into that more community living, which I’m really excited about, honestly.”
Modares went on to express her enthusiasm regarding the new method of homeownership people are opting for.
Housing Payments, Homebuying Hurdles & More
According to a recent Redfin report, the median U.S. monthly housing payment has dropped to nearly its lowest level in two years, but this decline could have been greater if sale prices were not still on the rise.
During the four weeks that concluded on January 11, the monthly housing payment decreased to $2,413. The national median home-sale price increased, rising 1% compared to the previous year. According to the brokerage’s report on Thursday, that represents a significant decrease from the 4% to 5% increase seen at the beginning of 2025.
The most significant decreases were observed in metros primarily located in the South and on the West Coast. As an illustration, the most significant decreases were recorded in Dallas and San Jose, California, where median home-sale prices fell by 4.4% and 3.7% on a yearly basis, respectively.
The cities that saw the biggest increases were:
- Detroit
- Philadelphia
- Chicago
- Warren, MI
In the four weeks ending Jan. 11, the median home-sale price dropped in approximately 15 metros overall.
