What's the average age of first-time homebuyers across Europe?

In the EU, 68.5% of households live in owner-occupied homes as of 2025. This is 2.2 percentage points lower than in 2010. Home ownership rates vary widely, ranging from 47.2% in Germany to 93.8% in Slovakia, according to Eurostat.

So at what age do Europeans buy a home the earliest? In which countries can young people buy earliest? And what factors play a role in this?

Across 23 European countries, the average age of a first-time buyer is 31.3 years, according to the RE/MAX European Housing Trend Report 2025 survey. It ranges from 28 years in Malta to 34.7 years in Switzerland and Greece.

RE/MAX provided more detailed data exclusively to Euronews Business.

“While affordability often determines the age at which people buy, family support and cultural norms around renting also play important roles,” Michael Polzler, CEO at RE/MAX Europe, told Euronews Business.