The Voice of NextGen Homeownership
How the next generation actually thinks about money.
Six years of research into what Gen Z and Millennials believe about homeownership, who they trust, and why so many stop before they start. Built to help companies connect with their customers in an era of distrust.
10,000+ consumers surveyed since 2020. Studies with National MI, FirstHome IQ, and the Mortgage Bankers Association. Cited by Bankrate and the Washington Post.
New study
How You’re Built to Buy
Money, trust and the meaning of home among Gen Z and Millennial adults, ages 18 to 44.
Newest research
2026 NextGen Homebuyer Report: How You're Built to Buy
The new NextGen Homebuyer Report asks how young adults are built around money, and finds that the buyers with the best habits carry the same worry and the same suspicion as everyone else. Free to download and cite.
September 2026
63% of regular savers still worry about their finances
- 86%
- carry some financial shame
- 54%
- worry a professional will take advantage of them
- 60%
- find the information overwhelming
The research library
See all 14 studiesSeptember 2026
63% of regular savers still worry about their finances
How You're Built to Buy
Money, trust and the meaning of home among Gen Z and Millennial adults. Why good financial habits do not settle the worry, and what that costs the industry.
Sixth annual report
6 in 10 expect the housing system to work against them.
2026 NextGen Homebuyer Report
The sixth annual report on trust, overwhelm, and why so many Gen Z and Millennial buyers walk away before they start.
Financial literacy edition
Only 8% know the real minimum down payment.
2025 Financial Literacy Edition
Financial knowledge, psychological barriers, and where NextGen buyers actually go for answers when school never taught them.
Fifth annual report
Trust in loan officers fell to 19.5% in a single year.
2025 NextGen Homebuyer Report
Trust in financial institutions falls off a cliff while YouTube, social media, and AI become the default homebuying classroom.
Psychology of money
Only 29% feel confident managing their own finances.
2024 Psychology of Money
A study measuring psychological influences and behavioral approaches to money, the first step toward the Built Like That quiz.
Fourth annual report
1 in 2 are not confident in what they know about buying a home.
2024 NextGen Homebuyer Report
Survey of 1,000 Millennial and Gen Z homebuyers tracking personal finance, homebuying behavior, and the challenges facing the next generation.
Questions
Who runs this research?
Kristin Messerli, researcher, author, and speaker. She has produced the NextGen Homebuyer Reports since 2020, in partnership with sponsors including National MI and Fidelity National Title.
Can I cite the reports?
Yes. Every report in the archive is free to download and cite with attribution to NextGen Research. Journalists at Bankrate and the Washington Post have done exactly that.
How does this connect to FirstHome IQ?
We are the research partner for FirstHome IQ, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit closing the homeownership education gap, and this research is led by its executive director. If what you need is the education itself, courses, tools, and free resources for first-time buyers and the professionals who serve them, that all lives at firsthomeiq.com.
How do I book Kristin to speak?
Speaking is handled at kristinmesserli.com. She presents the newest data from these studies to lenders, agents, and industry audiences.