Investors Are Buying Up Homes: What Does This Mean for You?

In the second part of 2025, investors, both large and small, bought a significant number of single-family homes. This trend marks a notable increase from the previous quarter and the highest in half a decade. However, it's important to note that the total number of homes sold decreased compared to the previous year. Investors now hold around 20% of the 86 million single-family homes in the country. They are not only purchasing but also selling properties. In fact, they sold over 104, 000 homes, with nearly half of these sales going to regular homebuyers. This activity adds to the market's supply, which is beneficial for everyone. Most investors are small-scale, owning 10 properties or fewer. The large investors, who own over 1, 000 properties, make up only 2% of the market. These big players are selling more than they are buying, shifting their focus towards build-to-rent communities. This shift reduces competition for small investors and traditional homebuyers, while also increasing rental options for those who cannot afford to buy.The states with the most investor-owned homes are Texas, California, and Florida. This is not surprising, as these states have the largest populations. However, if you are looking for the highest percentage of investor-owned homes, consider Hawaii, Alaska, Montana, and Maine. These states also have significant tourism industries. Investors prefer lower-priced homes because they can potentially make larger profits in the future. In the second quarter of 2025, they paid an average of $455, 481 per home, which is below the national average. This is the highest average investor price in the past six quarters, as home prices continue to rise.