RealtyTrac Predicts Boomerang Buying

IRVINE, CA—The first wave of homeowners who lost their homes to foreclosure or short sale during the recession are, in 2015, are now past the seven-year window they conservatively need to repair their credit and qualify to buy a home. More waves of these potential boomerang buyers will be moving past that seven-year window over the next eight years corresponding to the eight years of above-normal foreclosure activity from 2007 to 2014, according to RealtyTrac.

The Irvine-based firm analyzed foreclosure, affordability and demographic data to provide predictions of when and where these boomerang buyers are most likely to materialize.

Nearly 7.3 million potential boomerang buyers nationwide will be in a position to buy again from a credit repair perspective over the next eight years.

“The housing crisis certainly hit home the fact that homeownership is not for everyone, but those burned during the crisis should not immediately throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to their second chance at homeownership,” said Chris Pollinger, senior vice president of sales at First Team Real Estate, covering the Southern California market which has more than 260,000 potential boomerang buyers. “Homeownership done responsibly is still one of the best disciplined wealth-building strategies, and there is much more data available for homebuyers than there was five years ago to help them make an informed decision about a home purchase.”

The tables below show how those emerging boomerang buyers break down by year, and in what markets most activity is likely, RealtyTrac says.