Friendship-Driven Home Purchases: The Rise of Platonic Co-Buying
Kate Wood, a lending expert with NerdWallet, and Kristina Modares, a co-buying strategist with Joynt, reveal why young women are skirting marriage for non-romantic homeownership.
Co-buying homes, platonically? This trend is gaining traction among homeowners today.
According to Kate Wood, a lending expert at NerdWallet, co-buying is becoming increasingly attractive due to the soaring costs of housing in the United States. She explained, “Housing is incredibly expensive, and people are looking for alternatives.” Many individuals are now opting to co-buy homes with friends or family members, stepping away from traditional romantic partnerships. “What we’re seeing rising now is co-buying between friends or family members, essentially buying a home with someone you’re not romantically involved with,” Wood noted.
Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) highlights this shift. In their 2025 Profile, they reported that first-time homebuyers included 25% single women and 10% single men, while the share of married couples remained steady at 50%. Among all homebuyers, 61% are married couples, 21% are single women, and 9% are single men.
Additionally, NAR revealed that the median age for first-time homebuyers has increased from 38 in 2024 to 40 in 2025. First-time homeowners accounted for 21% of all buyers in 2025.
Bilt founder and CEO Ankur Jain discusses overwhelming demand after the company expanded its reward programs beyond renters to homeowners on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Kristina Modares, a co-buying strategist at Joynt, shared her personal journey into co-buying with friends, family, and even a romantic partner. “I tried to buy a house when I was 23. I thought I could do it on my own, but I quickly realized I couldn’t get approved for a mortgage,” she recounted. “So, I asked a friend, and he agreed to co-buy with me. That’s how I got started.”
Wood emphasized that one in four home purchases were made by single women in 2024, a statistic that highlights a significant trend. “It’s intriguing that single women represent a larger proportion of buyers compared to single men,” she said.
HOUSING COSTS ARE CRUSHING FAMILIES – HERE’S THE WAY OUT
This shift indicates a departure from traditional homeownership models. Wood remarked, “People are now doing things in the order that makes the most sense for their financial and emotional readiness.” Modares cautioned that co-buying should not be taken lightly, emphasizing the importance of being a good partner and vetting oneself before entering such agreements.
Modares also pointed out that this trend encourages viewing homeownership as an investment. “The American dream is being re-imagined, allowing for more options and ways to dream,” she said. “Co-buying is evolving to meet Americans where they are today.”
She expressed excitement about this new approach to homeownership, noting, “The world is changing in many ways, pushing us toward more community living, which I find really exciting.”
FOX Business reporter Jeff Flock reports on mortgage rates falling to their lowest level since February 2023 as President Donald Trump pushes efforts to make homeownership more affordable on ‘Varney & Co.’
The median U.S. monthly housing payment recently fell to its lowest level in nearly two years, although it could have decreased further if not for rising sale prices, according to a recent Redfin report. The monthly housing payment dropped to $2,413 during the four weeks ending January 11, but the national median home-sale price still increased by 1% year over year.
The monthly housing payment has seen a significant decline from the 4% to 5% increase observed at the beginning of 2025. The largest declines in home-sale prices were noted in cities like Dallas and San Jose, California, which experienced drops of 4.4% and 3.7%, respectively.
Overall, about 15 metros saw their median home-sale prices decline in the four weeks ending January 11, while cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Warren, Michigan, experienced notable increases.
Fox Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report
Kate Wood, a lending expert with NerdWallet, and Kristina Modares, a co-buying strategist with Joynt, reveal why young women are skirting marriage for non-romantic homeownership.
Co-buying homes, platonically? This trend is gaining traction among homeowners today.
According to Kate Wood, a lending expert at NerdWallet, co-buying is becoming increasingly attractive due to the soaring costs of housing in the United States. She explained, “Housing is incredibly expensive, and people are looking for alternatives.” Many individuals are now opting to co-buy homes with friends or family members, stepping away from traditional romantic partnerships. “What we’re seeing rising now is co-buying between friends or family members, essentially buying a home with someone you’re not romantically involved with,” Wood noted.
Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) highlights this shift. In their 2025 Profile, they reported that first-time homebuyers included 25% single women and 10% single men, while the share of married couples remained steady at 50%. Among all homebuyers, 61% are married couples, 21% are single women, and 9% are single men.
Additionally, NAR revealed that the median age for first-time homebuyers has increased from 38 in 2024 to 40 in 2025. First-time homeowners accounted for 21% of all buyers in 2025.
Bilt founder and CEO Ankur Jain discusses overwhelming demand after the company expanded its reward programs beyond renters to homeowners on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Kristina Modares, a co-buying strategist at Joynt, shared her personal journey into co-buying with friends, family, and even a romantic partner. “I tried to buy a house when I was 23. I thought I could do it on my own, but I quickly realized I couldn’t get approved for a mortgage,” she recounted. “So, I asked a friend, and he agreed to co-buy with me. That’s how I got started.”
Wood emphasized that one in four home purchases were made by single women in 2024, a statistic that highlights a significant trend. “It’s intriguing that single women represent a larger proportion of buyers compared to single men,” she said.
HOUSING COSTS ARE CRUSHING FAMILIES – HERE’S THE WAY OUT
This shift indicates a departure from traditional homeownership models. Wood remarked, “People are now doing things in the order that makes the most sense for their financial and emotional readiness.” Modares cautioned that co-buying should not be taken lightly, emphasizing the importance of being a good partner and vetting oneself before entering such agreements.
Modares also pointed out that this trend encourages viewing homeownership as an investment. “The American dream is being re-imagined, allowing for more options and ways to dream,” she said. “Co-buying is evolving to meet Americans where they are today.”
She expressed excitement about this new approach to homeownership, noting, “The world is changing in many ways, pushing us toward more community living, which I find really exciting.”
FOX Business reporter Jeff Flock reports on mortgage rates falling to their lowest level since February 2023 as President Donald Trump pushes efforts to make homeownership more affordable on ‘Varney & Co.’
The median U.S. monthly housing payment recently fell to its lowest level in nearly two years, although it could have decreased further if not for rising sale prices, according to a recent Redfin report. The monthly housing payment dropped to $2,413 during the four weeks ending January 11, but the national median home-sale price still increased by 1% year over year.
The monthly housing payment has seen a significant decline from the 4% to 5% increase observed at the beginning of 2025. The largest declines in home-sale prices were noted in cities like Dallas and San Jose, California, which experienced drops of 4.4% and 3.7%, respectively.
Overall, about 15 metros saw their median home-sale prices decline in the four weeks ending January 11, while cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Warren, Michigan, experienced notable increases.
Fox Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report
