Yes. Some recent home buyers rented before they bought. National NAR data shows this. The data is national. Your plan is local. If you are moving from renting to buying a home in South Florida, base the plan on your lease dates, savings, lender questions, and search needs.
Baby Boomers were the largest overall buyer generation. Younger Millennials separately had a 60-percent first-time-buyer share and a 47-percent prior-renter share. Those findings answer different questions and cannot be combined.
TL;DR
- Some recent buyers rented first. NAR found that 47 percent of younger Millennial buyers had rented before their purchase.
- First-time buyers made up 21 percent in the cited national data. This confirms that first-time purchases still took place.
- NAR’s 2025 buyer profile reported a median first-time-buyer age of 40. It does not say why.
- Start with lease dates, savings, questions for a lender, and facts for a home search.
- This is a guide, not a forecast about a loan or home purchase.
The short answer: renters are still becoming homeowners, but later.
NAR reported that 47 percent of younger Millennial buyers had rented before buying. The finding starts with one group: younger Millennial buyers. It does not measure the share of all renters who bought a home.
First-time buyers made up 21 percent of all buyers in NAR’s 2025 buyer profile. This confirms that first-time purchases still took place. The profile also reported a median first-time-buyer age of 40. That dated fact is why this guide says “later.” NAR did not report a cause.
These are national facts. They are not a rate for South Florida renters. They cannot tell if or when one renter will buy.
What the latest buyer data actually says.
The report year and population matter as much as each percentage.
| Finding | Population measured | Report label | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby Boomers represented 42 percent of recent buyers. | All recent buyers by generation | 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends | NAR report |
| Millennials represented 26 percent of recent buyers. | All recent buyers by generation | 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends | NAR report |
| First-time buyers represented 21 percent of buyers. | All buyers by first-time status | 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, also repeated in the 2026 generational release | NAR profile |
| The median age of first-time buyers was 40. | First-time buyers by age | 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers | NAR profile |
| Among younger Millennial buyers, 60 percent were first-time buyers. | Younger Millennial buyers | 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends | NAR report |
| Forty-seven percent of younger Millennial buyers rented before buying. | Younger Millennial buyers | NAR analysis of 2026 generational findings | NAR analysis |
Baby Boomers were the largest overall buyer generation. Younger Millennials separately had a 60-percent first-time-buyer share and a 47-percent prior-renter share. Those findings answer different questions and cannot be combined.
The sources do not establish that the same 47 percent were first-time buyers. They also do not provide a South Florida renter conversion rate.
What those numbers mean for a South Florida renter.
The largest overall buyer group does not define who can plan to own a home. National data shows that prior renters appear among recent buyers. It cannot choose a loan, price, area, or date for you.
A more useful question is not, “Do people like me buy?” Ask, “What facts should I gather before my next lease decision?” That keeps the plan focused on what you can learn.
Use the facts that matter to you. Never rely on demographic assumptions or claim that one community is right for a type of person.
Build your renter-to-owner plan before the lease ends.
These five points are for planning only. They do not promise a route, timeline, loan result, or home purchase.
1. Record your lease dates
Find the notice deadline, renewal date, end date, move-out terms, and any flexibility stated in your lease. Treat them as planning dates, not as a required buying schedule.
2. Organize your savings information
List the savings you have now. Note the moving, housing, or emergency needs that may compete with it. A lender can explain which cash categories apply to a loan path.
3. Prepare for a lender conversation
Ask what records and numbers the lender needs to review. Ask which monthly range is under review. Also ask what conditions apply and what could change the plan. Only the lender can confirm loan options or who may qualify.
4. Choose objective search factors
Write down what matters to you. That list may include price range, home type, commute, taxes, insurance, association fees, and home features. Compare facts and tradeoffs without ranking communities for a type of person.
5. Pick a next planning step
Choose the facts you still need. You might read a buyer guide, learn how buying works, or ask a focused question. A next step gathers facts. It does not commit you to buying.
A practical checklist for your next lease decision.
- Lease timing: Record the notice date, renewal date, end date, and any early-exit terms.
- Savings: Gather current balances and list known moving, housing, and emergency needs for a lender discussion.
- Lender conversation: Prepare questions and the documents the lender requests. Record options and conditions without treating them as final until the lender confirms them.
- Search area: Choose objective priorities, review South Florida area guides, and note tradeoffs rather than ranking communities for a type of person.
- Next step: Read the first-time buyer guide and review the buying process before choosing whether to continue.
The renter plan counts five steps: rent, preferred area, lease timing, readiness, and contact capture. The lender question is optional. It appears only after a successful submission and is not one of the five steps.
Thinking about buying after your current lease? The final button below opens the five-question plan. It is not a lending decision. You may prefer to ask Marlo first. You can also call Marlo or text Marlo. These are optional ways to talk.
This guide provides general information. It is not legal, lending, tax, financial, or individualized real estate advice.