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MortgagePoint ยป Your Trusted Source for Mortgage Banking and Servicing News 74 July 2025 J O U R N A L "Americans consider homeownership to be the cornerstone of the American Dream, more so than anything else," said Greg McBride, CFA, Chief Financial Analyst for Bankrate. "This belief hasn't wavered and has only gotten stronger despite increasing affordability chal- lenges with a record high percentage of Americans, 82%, citing homeownership as part of the American Dream." RECORD INVESTOR HOME SALES PRESENT OPPORTUNITY FOR BUYERS W ith economic changes looming, new data found that investors are taking up more of the homebuying pie in the U.S. housing market. According to Realtor. com's lnvestor Report, investor selling hit a record high as market dynamics shifted in 2024, even while investor purchases increased. Investors bought 13.0% of proper- ties nationwide in 2024, a modest rise from 2023 but still less than the 13.3% peak from 2022. A decline in overall home sales contributed to this increase, suggesting that investors are becoming more prevalent in a smaller market. Investors made up 10.8% of sellers in 2024, the largest percentage ever record- ed, up from 10.1% in 2023. The lowest margin between investor purchasing and selling since 2019 was the outcome of this change, indicating a smaller net effect of investor demand on total supply. "Investor trends signal a transition," said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com. "Nationwide, investors picked up more homes on net in 2024, as smaller investors were a growing major- ity of investor buyers. But with investor selling at a new high, the market saw the smallest net investor buying activity in five years, lessening one of the notable headwinds for entry-level buyers who often compete with investors." Investor Activity Differs Significantly by Region Regional differences in investor ac- tivity were notable. The largest shares of investor buyers were in Missouri (21.2%), Oklahoma (18.7%), and Kansas (18.4%), while the largest shares of investor sell- ers were in Oklahoma (16.7%), Georgia (15.9%), and Missouri (16.7%). California, Minnesota, and Oregon had the highest net-positive influence on supply (more sellers than buyers), while Hawaii, Montana, and Washing- ton, D.C., had the largest net negative impact (more buyers than sellers). Mississippi, Nevada, and South Dakota saw the biggest increases in investor selling, while Delaware, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., saw the biggest increases in investor buying share when compared to 2023. The cities with the largest investor buyer shares among the 150 largest U.S. metro areas were Springfield, MO; Memphis, TN; and Wichita, KS. In terms of investor seller share, Memphis, TN; Oklahoma City; and Springfield, MO; were in the front. Investors contributed the most supply in Sacramento, CA; Minneapolis; and Portland, OR; while they most dra- matically increased demand in Miami, Pittsburgh, and New York. Although for different reasons, investors in Miami, Pittsburgh, and New York City experienced the largest