Younger adults are increasingly finding new paths to homeownership: the "Bank of Mom and Dad," if they're lucky.
A recent LendingTree survey found that 40% of homeowners received financial help with the down payment on their current home, up from 35% in 2023. Not surprisingly, younger generations are more likely to rely on family support, with 78% of Gen Z homeowners and 56% of millennials reporting assistance, compared with just 12% of baby boomers.
Here's a closer look at the numbers behind parent-funded homebuying assistance:
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
10–30 years
620
5% for conventional loans, 3.5% for FHA loans, 0% for VA loans, 10.01% for jumbo loan
10, 15 or 30 years for fixed-term conventional loans, 30-year VA and FHA loans. Custom mortgages with fixed-rate terms from 8 to 29 years.
620 for conventional, 500 for FHA
0% for VA, 1% for RocketONE+, 3% for conventional, 3.5% for FHA, 10% to 15% for jumbo
The hottest lender in housing? Mom and Dad
🏡 1 in 5 🏡
One in five (20.7%) of Gen Z or millennial homeowners made their down payment using a cash gift from family, and roughly 11% used an inheritance, according to a 2025 Redfin survey.
🔑 74% 🔑
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of parents would consider (or have already started planning on) financially supporting their kid buying a home, according to Northwestern Mutual's "2026 Planning & Progress Study." And 29% of those parents say helping their kid buy a home is more important than helping them pay for college.
💰 $25,000 to $49,999 💰
Most parents who contributed or plan to contribute to their kid buying a home expect to give between $25,000 and $49,999, while 23% plan to give between $50,000 and $99,999, according to a Veterans United Home Loans survey. Another 12% expect to contribute between $100,000 and $199,999.
💵 65% 💵
Sixty-five percent of parents are funding this support through checking or cash accounts, per Veterans United. Others are drawing from investment accounts (50%), home equity (35%) and retirement accounts (32%).
🤝 35% 🤝
Thirty-five percent of those who received down payment assistance say they couldn't have bought when they did without it, a figure that rises to 44% among women, per LendingTree. That help also enabled 43% to qualify for a mortgage and 33% to reduce their monthly payment.
Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every newsletter is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
