Boomers Bought Young & Stayed Put. Now 61% Say They’ll Never Sell.

Three out of four boomer homeowners are over it. 

According to a new Clever Offers report, 76% are tired of being blamed for the housing crisis, and 51% say their generation is the least responsible for today’s affordability problems. 

That frustration comes with sharp opinions about who should lead housing policy and how to protect home values. It also comes with a reality agents can’t ignore. Most boomers still aren’t moving. 

So much for a “silver tsunami.”

Read on for the most relevant numbers from the report. 

Boomers push back on blame, and they want a say

Boomers see themselves as good stewards of housing, and they want stability.

• 76% are tired of being blamed for the housing crisis, and 51% say boomers are the least responsible.
• 42% think boomers should still lead housing policy. Only 20% say millennials should lead, and 7% say Gen Z.
• When asked who is most responsible for the crisis, 32% point to millennials and 21% to Gen Z.
• On the neighborhood level, 73% value community stability over affordability for younger buyers. 

That last one suggests a less-than-favorable view of YIMBY initiatives. 

The tone is clear. Boomers prize stability, and they are not eager to be the scapegoats for affordability. That posture shapes how they think about selling, taxes, and the next chapter.

Will boomers sell anytime soon?

Short answer, no. The longer answer is still mostly no.

• 61% of boomer homeowners say they never plan to sell, up from 54% in 2024.
• Only 10% expect to sell within five years, down from 15% last year.
• Among those intending to stay, 57% say a serious health issue could change their mind, and 39% would reconsider if the home became too hard to maintain.
• Nearly a quarter, 24%, say nothing would convince them to sell.

Reasons to stay include:

• Aging in place (55%)
• Paid-off mortgages (44%)
• Not wanting to start over (36%)
• 30% say they could not afford a new home in today’s market

If you were counting on a silver tsunami, these numbers suggest a slow drip.

Profit expectations are high, and history explains why

The equity story is real, and boomers know it. 

• 68% of boomer homeowners expect to profit $100,000 or more if they sold today. Eleven percent expect at least $500,000.
• Only 16% expect less than $50,000.
• An identical 68% of those who have owned homes paid under $100,000 for their first home, including 36% under $50,000.
• Nearly 9 in 10 paid under $200,000, and 98% paid under $400,000.
• 62% say they’ve built more wealth from housing than from their careers, and 72% say their generation got lucky with timing.

This context helps explain the reluctance to move. Equity is high, payments are low, and replacement homes feel out of reach.

Policy preferences tilt toward protecting home values

Boomers are open about prioritizing their own housing security.

• 59% of boomer homeowners would vote for a candidate who protects home values, even if fewer people could afford homes. For non-owners, that figure is 49%.
• 67% believe seniors should be exempt from property taxes even if younger buyers pay more.
• Among homeowners, 51% oppose expanding government programs for young buyers because they didn’t get help when they were young. 

Benefits matter: 

• 49% worry cuts to Social Security or Medicare could force a sale
• 38% say they could not afford their home if benefits were reduced
• Another 41% could only afford it with sacrifices

You can see the through line: Protect fixed incomes, protect home values, and keep life simple.

Former owners and never-owners paint a mixed picture

Not every boomer owns a home today, and their reasons are instructive.

Thirteen percent of the boomers surveyed once owned a home, but no longer do. Their top reasons include:

• Lifestyle changes (25%)
• Preference to rent (25%)
• Inability to afford homeownership (22%)
• The upkeep (22%)

Ten percent have never owned a home. Of those, 55% regret it, down from 66% in 2024.

The top barrier is affordability at 64%, followed by a preference for renting at 26%.

Among never-owners, 32% think they would be worse off financially if they had owned, compared to 26% who think they would be better off. 

This group won’t flood inventory, either. Many prefer renting or doubt the payoff of late-cycle ownership.

The Age Gap Keeps Widening

Boomers bought younger. Today’s buyers are waiting longer to buy their first home.

• 49% of boomer owners bought before age 30, 71% by 35, and 80% by 40.
• Meanwhile, the median first-time buyer age in 2024 was 38.

This generational shift underscores why boomers hold so much equity and influence over the market. They entered homeownership earlier, benefited from decades of appreciation, and now, with most choosing to stay put, their decisions are set to shape housing supply and affordability debates well into the future.