First-time Dallas-Fort Worth homebuyers more scarce
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Fewer first-time homebuyers are purchasing houses in Dallas-Fort Worth this year compared to last year, according to real estate data firm ATTOM.
Why it matters: First-time home buyers have had to weigh the costs of homeownership while competing with investors expanding their real estate portfolios.
The big picture: Investors, who often compete with first-time buyers, have pulled back from the U.S. housing market in recent years. The total number of homes sold to institutional investors in the first quarter of 2025 was the lowest since 2020.
- Yes, but: Dallas-Fort Worth remains an area of interest for investors, the ATTOM data suggests.
Zoom in: Around 4.7% of buyers in Dallas-Fort Worth used an FHA loan in the first quarter of 2025, down significantly from 9.8% of buyers in the first quarter of 2024.
- Similar declines were seen statewide.
The intrigue: Institutional investors made up around 10% of all North Texas home sales in the first quarter of 2025, per ATTOM. They comprised around 6% of sales across the U.S.
- The firm defines institutional investors as non-lending entities that bought at least 10 properties in a calendar year.