Latest Study Shows Average Buyer Expected to Stay in a Home 13 Years

A recent article published by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that, based on a long-run calculation that averages mobility tendencies over a number of years, the typical buyer of a single-family home can be expected to stay in the home approximately 13 years before moving out. For first-time buyers, the expected length of stay in a single- family home is somewhat shorter (about 11 and a half years, compared to 15 years for buyers who have owned a home before). This work updates a 2009 article by NAHB that showed, based on a long-run calculation that averaged the available data over the years 1985 through 2007, the typical buyer could be expected to stay in a single-family home roughly 12 years before moving out. Since then, of course, the economy has gone through a severe recession, with homes and home buyers subject to historically unusual changes and stress, making this a logical time to revisit the data and see if things may have changed. You can read more about the findings by visiting HousingEconomics.com.