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U.S. HOMEOWNERSHIP ASPIRATIONS AREN’T DEAD: OWNING A HOME REMAINS A DEFINING ELEMENT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

More Than Half of Consumers Feel Excitement or Pride
with Purchasing First Home

July 19, 2012 –As the country continues to emerge from the turbulent mortgage period, a Home Buyer Poll released today by TD Bank reveals aspirations of homeownership are still very much alive in the U.S. The majority (84%) of today’s younger renting generation (ages 18-34) responded that they intend to buy a home. Overall, more than half of consumers polled say homeownership is a vital component to defining the American Dream and 59 percent associated feelings of excitement or pride as part of their first time home buying process.

TD Bank surveyed more than 1,300 consumers across the U.S. to better understand the perceptions and attitudes surrounding home ownership, specifically examining the attitudes of current renters and prospective home owners, as well as past and present home owners.

Owning the American Dream

The majority of current home owners surveyed report purchasing their first home early in life with 4 out of 5 buying between ages 18-34. Close to two-thirds of those polled continue to be homeowners. The poll also found that first time homebuyers are more likely to cite achieving the American Dream as a primary motivation for purchasing their first home.

“There’s no denying buying a home is a pivotal point in a person’s life. Our survey tells us that people are looking to buy homes, and attitudes towards homeownership have continued to remain positive over the years,” said Michael Copley, Executive Vice President, Retail Lending, TD Bank.
Of those who intend to own, the American Dream (18%) is considered as important or more than other motivations for buying a home, such as:
• Good opportunity (17%)
• An evolving family (11%)
• Being financially ready (10%)

The survey revealed that plans to own a home tracked similarly across genders, with 66% of female respondents planning to own a home compared to 57% of men.

Financing Your First Home

“With more than half of homeowners surveyed stating getting a mortgage and making a down payment is the preferred method of payment, choosing a lender remains a vital step in the home buying process,” continued Copley.

Other Key Findings From The Survey Include:
• Three out of 10 homeowners consider their house their dream home.
• While younger homeowners are more stressed (20%) compared to older homeowners when asked to look back on their first home, older homeowners were more proud (51%), more confident (20%) and far less stressed (9%).
• Seventy-eight percent of respondents said that they plan to stay in their current home.
• Staying within budget (43%) is a top consideration when buying a home among those who intend to buy.

TD Bank developed the First Time Homebuyer Kit to create a rewarding home-buying experience. Available on the TD Bank website (www.tdbank.com/firsthome) as well as in stores, the kit is designed to take the customer through the process of purchasing a home, providing advice and information needed to choose the house and mortgage to best suit individual needs.

Some things to consider when buying your first home are:

• Determine how much you can afford: By looking at your income and current monthly debts you can determine what you can afford.
• Buying a home isn’t for everyone: Know the benefits of owning vs. renting before making any decisions. Also stop to think about what type of home you can afford and which style suits your lifestyle such as single-family homes, townhouses or fixer-uppers.
• Narrow the focus of your search: Many factors impact the ideal type of house for each buyer, including desired features and benefits, life stage and how many improvements you are willing to make before moving in.
• Make the mortgage process as hassle-free as possible: From fixed-rate to adjustable -rate, there are several options to fit your needs.

Survey Methodology
The study was conducted among a nationally representative group of consumers from April 17th -25th, 2012. The sample size of 1,303 has a margin of error of +/- 2.3%. The survey was hosted by global research company Angus Reid Public Opinion.

About Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion is the Public Affairs practice of Vision Critical—a global research company. Vision Critical is a leader in the use of the Internet and rich media technology to collect high-quality, in-depth insights for a wide array of clients.

Homeownership remains a vital component of the American Dream

Aspirations of home ownership are very much alive in the US. Existing home sales are continuing a slow but steady march upward and a recent TD Bank survey reveals that current young renters (18-34) intend to buy a home, suggesting the trend will continue in months to come.

An improving mortgage landscape, with stabilizing home values, has had a direct effect on helping to increase homeowner confidence. By leveraging current home ownership aspirations, realtors and lenders can continue the current upward market trend. Here are a few tips to help your customers make their dream a reality.

Is the dream a good fit?

The mortgage industry has seen a shift from renting to owning, with many Americans entering the home-buying market for the first time. Sixty-five percent of Northeastern respondents in the TD Bank poll noted that owning a home was essential to defining the American Dream. But buying a home isn’t for everyone and it’s important for consumers to know the benefits of owning a home vs. renting in order to determine the best fit for their lifestyle.

Encourage clients to educate themselves about the home buying process; first-time home buying classes are often offered by local non-profit agencies. Show your clients you’re a financial partner by giving them the tools, options and information they’ll need to borrow smarter.

BIO FOR
MALCOLM HOLLENSTEINER
Home Finance Expert, Director of Retail Lending TD Bank

Malcolm Hollensteiner is Director of Retail Lending Sales & Production at TD Bank. In his role, Malcolm directs the bank’s residential mortgage sales production. Malcolm has more than two decades of experience in the mortgage banking industry. He began his career as a loan officer with First Washington Mortgage, quickly reaching top producer status in the DC area. From there he spent ten years with National City Mortgage and, in 2009, joined PNC mortgage. Malcolm earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University. Additionally, he holds the Certified Mortgage Banking designation from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and is a past-president of the MBA of Metropolitan Washington.

Malcolm lives in Bethesda, MD with his wife and four children. He spends his spare time coaching youth basketball and football.

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