念願の初マイホーム、購入資金を家族に頼る米国人が増加　報告書

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】米国人の間で、初めてマイホームを購入する年齢が高くなっていることや、住宅供給不足による価格上昇のために経済的援助を家族に求める住宅購入者が増えていることが、全米不動産協会（NAR）が8日に発表した報告書で明らかになった。（写真は資料写真）
　低金利が続いて住宅ローンがより手軽になり、失業率は歴史的な低水準で安定収入が得られる米国人が増加する一方、住宅需要の急増と建設労働者不足が相まって、現状では住宅建設が需要に追いつていない。ＮＡＲの報告書によると、９月の住宅販売中間価格は２７万２１００ドル（約２９７０万円）で、２０１８年の２５万９３００ドル（約２８３０万円）、５年前の１９万７１００ドル（約２１５０万円）を上回る。
　一方、報告書によれば、住宅購入者のうち、米人口の１３％を占めるアフリカ系米国人の割合は４％、人口の１８％を占めるヒスパニック系は７％にすぎない。ＮＡＲで人口統計と行動洞察を担当するジェシカ・ラウツ副会長は、少数派の人々は住宅ローンを申し込むことが少なく、審査を通らないことも多い上、家族からの経済支援が得られない場合が多いことを、調査結果は示していると指摘する。
　ラウツ氏によれば、最近では初めて住宅を購入する場合、頭金の資金源として家族を頼る例が増えている。初めて住宅を購入する人々のうち、約３分の１は贈与や貸与の形で家族に頭金を出してもらっているという。
　このほか、報告書によると、米国人が初めて住宅を購入する年齢の中央値は３３歳で、初マイホームの購入時期は遅くなる傾向にある。また、望む地域の住宅を購入する資金を賄うのに、パートナーや配偶者を頼るよりも友人たちと協力し合う例が増えているという。さらに、住宅購入者の１０人に１人が、成人した子どもの帰郷、高齢になった親の世話、節約などの理由で多世代住宅を購入していることが分かった。
　さらに初めて住宅を購入した人の割合は購入者全体の３３％とほぼ横ばいで、基準値といわれる４０％を８年連続で下回った。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2019/11/11-09:27）

Americans are waiting longer to buy their first homes, have more debt and more often need family help to make the purchase amid a supply crunch that is pushing up prices, according to a new data released Friday.
But African Americans and Hispanics continue to make up a very small share of homebuyers in the United States, far below their share of the population, according to National Association of Realtors report.
While low interest rates have made mortgages more accessible, and historically low unemployment means more Americans have a steady paycheck, the influx of buyers combined with a shortage of workers means homebuilders have not been able to keep up with demand.
The report shows the median sales price in September was up to $272,100 compared to $259,300 for all of 2018 and $197,100 five years earlier.
NAR has long highlighted the shortage of homes on the market but the report puts the implications of that problem in stark relief.
African Americans comprise just four percent of homebuyers, despite making up 13 percent of the US population, the report said.
Hispanics make up seven percent, while they are 18 percent of the population.
There's no way to sugarcoat how low the Hispanic and African American homebuyers (rate) has been and... how far it's fallen from before the recession to today, said Jessica Lautz, NAR's vice president of demographics and behavioral insights.
With homeownership for blacks in particular at historic lows, this has very large implications for their ability... to build wealth and to be able to build a nest egg, Lautz told AFP.
She notes research showing minorities are less likely to apply for a loan, more likely to be denied for mortgages and less likely to have family help, which is a key down payment source for first time homebuyers today.
- Homes in short supply -
One third of first-time homebuyers have family help for their down payment, either through a gift or a loan, she said.
At the same time, African American first-time homeowners have significantly more student loan debt than white homebuyers do... which is in a significant hurdle, holding back many potential buyers.
The report showed 39 percent of first-time buyers had student loan debt, a median amount of $30,000.
NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun stressed that the housing shortage is a key factor driving the problems with affordability.
Since many first time buyers need family help what does that mean for American families that don't have deep pockets, he told reporters.
Yun said he expects home building to accelerate modestly in 2020, which will open up a chain reaction in existing home sales.
He predicted a four percent uptick in home sales next year.
The report also showed that more buyers are waiting longer before buying their first home -- the median age hit 33 for the first time -- and an increasing number are joining forces with friends rather than partners or spouses in order to be able to afford a place in their desired location, the report showed.
There is a growing share of people who are embracing homeownership through unique means, purchasing with a non-romantic partner, Lautz said.
About one in 10 home buyers purchased a multigenerational home, to take care of aging parents, because of adult children returned home, and for cost-savings, the report showed.
First-time homebuyers held steady at 33 percent of all buyers, a measure that for the past eight years has been below the historic norm of 40 percent.