Where do children turn when they need advice on buying a home—and home improvement? Often, their dads, according to a recent survey by Realtor.com®.
That’s particularly true for homeowners who live near their fathers or father figures.
“Leaning on your dad or father figure for help with homebuying and other home-related tasks is more the norm than the exception,” says Realtor.com senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones in her analysis.
More than half (51%) of Americans rely on their dads or father figures for advice when it comes to buying a home.
With Father’s Day a few days away, here’s how dads across the nation are helping guide their children in various ways in the real estate realm.
How dads affect homebuying
To investigate dads’ influence on their children on all things home-related, researchers conducted an online survey of 2,202 Americans aged 18 and older on May 30, 2024. The survey asked participants how much they rely on their father or father figure for help with homebuying and other homeownership tasks.
A few truths emerged: Namely, more than half (51%) of Americans rely on their dads or father figures for advice when it comes to buying a home. The share jumps even higher—to 56%—if a child lives within two hours of their dad.
A child might turn to an older, guiding force in their life because they need help navigating the tough real estate market.
“Buying a house, especially in today’s housing market, can be challenging,” says Jones. “Furthermore, once a home is secured, homeowners are faced with a whole host of new responsibilities and may feel out of their depths as repairs, maintenance, new bills, and other homeownership-specific tasks pile up.”
In other words, parental figures have often gained hard-won expertise as homeowners themselves, and children aren’t shy about tapping into that knowledge base. Potential homebuyers also relied on their moms, siblings, and friends as sounding boards, too.
Americans lean on dads for help on the homefront
Truth: Dads are often handy around the house—and kids know it.
So, it’s little wonder that almost 40% of American homeowners have turned to their father figure for advice on home repairs and general home maintenance. Exactly who asks Dad for more help comes down to generational differences.
Millennials—or those born between 1981 and 1996—are the generation most likely (42%) to ask their dads for advice on general home maintenance.
Meanwhile, Gen Z—or those born between 1997 and 2012—are the group most likely (37%) to turn to their dads for financial advice.
Dads lend a helping hand with heavy lifting
Who needs to hire a handyperson when you can ask Dad for some muscle from time to time?
Children who live close to their dads call on them the most often, with over 40% asking their father figure to physically help them move or help with home repairs. Another top task Americans ask their father figures for help with? Yard work.
All of this shows not only how hugely helpful dads are, but also how hard it is to own a home on your own.
“Purchasing and maintaining a home can feel incredibly expensive and intimidating, especially for first-time homebuyers,” says Jones. “Having a sounding board, adviser, and confidant can help make the process less scary, and the data suggests that dads fill this role for many Americans.”
Margaret Heidenry, realtor.com