According to the Generational Housing Succession report from Realtor.com, an estimated 13.9 million homes currently occupied by baby boomers and the Silent Generation will be released from owner-occupancy between 2026 and 2036. If 45% of the homes projected to be released in 2027 become for-sale listings, that would be enough to restore annual listings to pre-pandemic levels. This wave is known as the silver tsunami.
While the silver tsunami is good news for sidelined homebuyers and for the nation’s housing inventory, the effects will be spread across markets at a softer rate and will not necessarily help housing affordability.
“We believe the softness will be real, though its effects will be uneven across segments and markets, not a uniform, nationwide correction,” said Jiayi Xu, senior economist at Realtor.com.
