OHA Market Update Series - June 19, 2025
National: More Gen Z buyers are purchasing homes with siblings as a strategic way to overcome affordability challenges and build long-term wealth. With the right legal structure and clear agreements, co-buying with family can be both practical and empowering.
Local: A new 227-unit affordable housing project, Cameron HiLine, is coming to East Austin’s Windsor Park neighborhood. The development will offer 100% income-restricted units, helping address Austin’s growing need for attainable housing.
Intrigued? Keep reading.
(4 minute read)
National Real Estate Update
Housing Trends, Interest Rates, and Market Forecasts
Why More Gen Z Siblings Are Buying Homes Together — And How to Make It Work
More and more Gen Z buyers are teaming up with their siblings to buy homes—and it’s not just a trend, it’s a smart financial move. According to Bank of America, 22% of Gen Z homeowners purchased a home with a sibling this year, up from just 4% in 2023. With home prices and rents still high and student debt weighing heavily, co-buying is becoming a strategic path toward homeownership and long-term stability.
But buying with family doesn’t mean skipping the legal fine print. In fact, it’s especially important to treat co-ownership like a business partnership from day one.
Here’s what to keep in mind if you’re thinking about buying a home with a sibling:
Choose the right form of ownership:
Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship means equal ownership and automatic transfer if one person passes.
Tenancy in Common allows each person to own a specific share (like 70/30) and retain control over what happens to their portion.
Make a formal co-ownership agreement that spells out:
Ownership percentages
Who’s paying for what (down payment, mortgage, taxes, maintenance)
What happens if one sibling wants out or stops contributing
How decisions on repairs, renovations, or refinancing will be made
Plan for the “what-ifs”:
One sibling can “buy out” the other through refinancing
Disagreements may require mediation or, in rare cases, court-ordered partition
An LLC or trust might make sense for added protection and clarity
OHA’s HOT TAKE:
The bottom line: Buying real estate with a sibling can be a powerful way to build wealth together—but it only works well with clear expectations, legal structure, and mutual respect.
Thinking about teaming up with family to buy? Open House has helped many siblings successfully navigate this kind of partnership—We'd love to help you do the same.
Austin Area Real Estate & Community Update:
Market Trends, Local News, and Neighborhood Insights
New 100% Affordable Housing Development Coming to East Austin’s Windsor Park
Big news for Windsor Park: a 5-story, fully affordable apartment community is coming to East Austin. The project, called Cameron HiLine, will bring 227 one- and two-bedroom units to Clayton Lane just south of 290, all reserved for residents earning below the median family income.
Construction starts this October and wraps by August 2027, with rents tailored to folks earning between 50%–80% of the area median. With the average home price sitting at $595K, this is a much-needed win for affordability in Austin.
Austin is actually on track to deliver more affordable multifamily units than any other U.S. city this year, and projects like this one are part of what’s pushing that momentum forward.
OHA’s HOT TAKE:
This matters because Austin’s housing prices are out of reach for many, and fully affordable developments like Cameron HiLine are rare. It helps keep East Austin accessible to everyday residents—teachers, families, essential workers—who might otherwise be priced out. With Austin leading the nation in new affordable units this year, projects like this are a big step toward more balanced, inclusive growth.
Want to stay in the loop on affordable housing projects or get connected with resources? Let’s chat.
Jennifer Carey
Realtor and Agent Success Manager at Open House Austin, real estate investor, and renovation enthusiast with Wimberley Airbnbs. She loves mid-century modern design, hiking Austin with her dogs, yoga and pilates, and has been enjoying gardening at her new home in East Austin🎶✨
