FROM THE PRESS RELEASE
Asian American Households Signal Where U.S. Homeownership Is Headed
New report reveals $150,000 equity loss from delaying homeownership as first-time buyers reach 40; women outpace men in homebuying; multigenerational living surges, outpacing housing stock
SAN DIEGO — Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) households are a leading indicator of where U.S. homeownership is headed — signaling a rapidly changing market that no longer matches how Americans live, build wealth and access housing today, according to a new report from AREAA, the Asian Real Estate Association of America, a nonprofit focused on advancing AANHPI homeownership. The findings will be discussed at AREAA’s 2026 Housing Policy Summit (May 11-12 in Washington, D.C.)
The 2026 State of Asia America report finds that:
Homeownership remains the primary engine of long-term wealth, yet first-time buyers are entering the market later than ever, with the average age now reaching 40. Delaying a home purchase by a decade costs buyers roughly $150,000 in equity.
Single women are now one of the most influential buyer groups, purchasing homes at nearly twice the rate of single men, with AANHPI women in major metro areas outpacing AANHPI men at similar rates, even as they face persistent affordability barriers.
Multigenerational living is moving from cultural norm to national necessity — long practiced by AANHPI families — as housing costs and caregiving needs push more families under one roof. Nearly 60 million Americans now live in shared households, a fourfold increase from 1971, yet only 2% are designed to support aging in place.
American mobility has fallen to 7.8%, to half its historical level and the lowest level since 1948, as millions of homeowners are locked into sub-4% mortgage rates, limiting moves and restricting access for new buyers.
Affordability has sharply deteriorated nationwide, with only 28% of typical U.S. households able to qualify for a median-priced home, down from 57% just five years ago, particularly in high-cost metros where AANHPI households are concentrated.
Download the full report at stateofasiaamerica.org
If everything goes according to plan, I will land in California at 8:42 p.m. on May 12, just in time to wish my father a happy birthday. I’ll be returning from Washington after meetings on Capitol Hill about housing policy. While there, I will be watching the clock, because this is not a birthday I am willing to miss.
My father is turning 88 while undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. I am his caregiver. From across the country, I check my phone for signals from home: the smart refrigerator tells me if the milk has expired. I adjust the thermostat remotely. Through the Ring app, I remind him to eat, to take his medications, to rest. He knows Alexa can alert paramedics.
This caregiving arrangement is only possible because I drained nearly $30,000 from my savings to retrofit our home.
As CEO of the Asian Real Estate Association of America, I spend my days thinking about housing policy. Yet, caring for my parents has taught me the distance between what I know and what I live: We are treating caregiving as a personal issue rather than a structural force changing housing demand.
Nearly 60 million people already live in multigenerational households — four times more than in 1971. Yet the number of U.S. homes that are truly safe to age in place is under 2 percent. By 2030, one in five Americans will be over 65. Only 13 percent over 75 can afford a nursing home. The so-called silver tsunami is approaching, and our housing stock is not ready. We are not ready.
Read the full article at areaanational.substack.com
Happy AANHPI Heritage Month from AREAA Central New Jersey! 🌏✨
This month, we celebrate the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities that continue to shape and inspire our local neighborhoods and beyond.
At AREAA Central NJ, we’re proud to support, empower, and uplift our community—creating opportunities in real estate and building stronger connections every day.
#CelebrateAANHPI #AANHPICommunity #AREAA #AREAACentralNJ #RealEstateCommunity
You know those nights where the theme looks great… but the real story ends up being everything happening in between?
That was Denver.
House of Jade set the scene, but it was the conversations, the laughter, and the quick “good to see you again” moments that carried the night.
The kind you don’t plan for, but remember after.
Congratulations to Brenda Barrett and the board as they take on 2026 for the AREAA Greater Denver Chapter.
And appreciation to Thao Nguyen and the 2025 board for the year of work that got the chapter here.
Here are a few moments from the night…
the parts you don’t always see on the program.
Disclaimer:
I do not own the rights to the background music or any third-party sound effects used in this video. All rights and credits belong to the original artists and rightful owners. This content was created for storytelling purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. If you are the rights holder and would like this content removed, please contact me and it will be taken down immediately.
#AREAA #AREAAGreaterDenver #HouseOfJade #AREAAEvents #RealEstateCommunity
We are just TEN DAYS OUT from our Policy Summit. This is an opportunity to add your name to AREAA's legacy of legislative wins and advocacy for our community. We need your voice.
Register now at AREAA.org/policysummit
Photo: Senator Andy Kim providing remarks at AREAA's 2025 Policy Summit.
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) has announced the launch of its new Caregiving Task Force, led by Co-Chairs Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), to support Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) formal and informal caregivers and their families across the nation.
Since 2021, AREAA has been holding discussions on the importance of caregiving and multigenerational homeownership. We are proud to have hosted leading speakers on this topic including Senator Andy Kim, Richard Lui, Clayton Fong, AARP, and more. Our mission of promoting sustainable AANHPI homeownership must meet the community where there is need, and this new task force is reflective of successful steps towards that goal.
As AREAA’s 2026 State of Asia America Report notes, the home search has become a fully algorithmic experience. Platforms are moving away from simple map-based browsing toward conversational and predictive systems that absorb every signal a buyer gives off, from which listings they click on to which ones they skip, how long they linger on photos, and even which features they zoom in on. These tools now combine behavioral data with affordability projections, climate exposure, insurance volatility, job-market risk, and school-boundary changes to curate what a buyer sees.
Read the full article at areaanational.substack.com
Zillow is just one of many technological giants that is reshaping the home buying process. Realtor.com, Redfin, and many smaller innovators are constantly creating new tools for both consumers and real estate professionals. Register for AREAA's Policy Summit to attend our tech session and learn about the latest and most powerful tech and AI innovations in real estate.
AREAA's Policy Summit is a meeting place for thoughts leaders in our community, and we are so excited to be joined by Sruthi Chandrasekaran. Sruthi serves as TAAF’s Director of Data and Research (D&R). She leads strategy development and implementation for the D&R team and targeted studies that identify and address the needs of the AAPI community. She has over a decade of experience working with non-profit organizations, foundations, and government funding agencies on issues faced by marginalized populations. Sruthi also has extensive experience generating and using evidence to inform policy and programming across diverse contexts.
AREAA Foundation Central New Jersey First-time Homebuyer Grant Program. We’re helping turn dreams into reality by offering up to $10,000 in down payment assistance for eligible buyers. Money that goes directly toward your home purchase and does not have to be paid back. This is more than a program - it’s a movement to create opportunity, build wealth, and open doors for our community. If homeownership felt out of reach, this is your moment. For more details to DONATE or APPLY, go to AREAAFoundation.org/downpayment assistance for central New Jersey residents ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ #firsttimehomebuyergrantprogram #areaafoundation #areaa #areaacentralnj #areaacnj #realestateprofessionals #asianrealestateassociationofamerica #AANHPI #advocacy #nationalrepresentation #diversityandfairhousing
