When compared to a year ago, the share of first-time home buyers dropped to a record low, while the age of a typical first-time buyer increased to an all-time high. The median distance buyers moved from their previous homes more than tripled from the distance registered the previous four years as the shares of homes purchased in small towns and rural areas reached record highs.

Housing affordability and inventory challenges significantly impacted when, where and how consumers purchased homes, according to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2022 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, an annual report recently released and published since 1981, which analyzes the demographics, preferences and experiences of buyers and sellers across America.

The annual report allows industry professionals to gain insight into detailed buying and selling behavior. Each iteration of the report is as unique as the economic, social and demographic environment in which it is published. This year’s report contains unique data which has emerged from a year of transition for the housing market. Read the definitive guide to buyer and seller demographics, trends, and data, here.