(The Epoch Times)—Over 33 percent of baby boomers who are homeowners said they will never sell their homes, real estate brokerage Redfin said in a June 18 statement detailing the results of a survey.
“Another 30 percent say they’ll sell their home at some point, but not within the next decade,” said the report. As for older people, the survey reveals they are even less likely to sell than boomers. Nearly 45 percent of the Silent Generation do not plan to sell their residential properties.
The Redfin report, which surveyed roughly 4,000 U.S. residents, said younger homeowners are more likely to sell. Twenty-five percent of Gen Xers and 21 percent of millennials/Gen Zers said they would not sell.
The main reasons for not selling are that homeowners like their current homes, and they don’t wish to move. Besides, new homes have higher prices, and buyers would face elevated mortgage rates.
Redfin reports that home prices have gone up roughly 40 percent since pre-pandemic, and mortgage rates are near 7 percent.
The median price of homes sold in the United States was $416,900 in the first quarter of 2025, up from $329,000 in the same quarter of 2020, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Ten years ago, prices were even lower at $289,200.
Meanwhile, the weekly average interest on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has consistently remained above 6 percent since September 2022, according to data from Freddie Mac. For the most recent week ending June 18, rates were at 6.81 percent, more than double the 3.13 percent roughly five years back.
“Nearly one-third (31 percent) of baby boomers who own their home say they couldn’t afford a home like theirs in their neighborhood today,” said the report.
Regarding purchasing a new home, around one in four millennial and Gen Z renters say they cannot afford a home in an area where they want to live.
For the younger people, the other reasons, according to the survey, are being financially unprepared for surprise costs of owning a home, high mortgages, and inability to fund a down payment.
“While inventory is improving, supply is tight for young house hunters looking for family homes, especially in suburban areas where homes priced like starter homes—yet large enough for families—are scarce,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather.
“With baby boomers opting to age in place rather than sell, it’s challenging for younger buyers to find affordable options that fit their lifestyle. But it’s worth noting that even though many older Americans say they’re not planning to sell their homes, many are likely to eventually part ways as it becomes harder to live independently and/or keep up with home maintenance.”
Tackling Affordability Crisis
Home developers have urged lawmakers to take action to tackle the housing affordability crisis.
Last week, more than 1,000 builders, remodelers, and associates from the construction sector visited Capitol Hill, asking lawmakers to support policies that will “help builders unleash the housing market,” the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) said in a June 11 statement.
“The best way to ease the nation’s housing affordability crisis and boost housing production is to break down the barriers that are impeding new home and apartment construction,” said NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes.
Specifically, NAHB asked Congress to pass legislation preventing the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development from mandating a minimum energy standard for housing, arguing that these measures raise housing costs and price out buyers.
The group also urged lawmakers to consider tax legislation benefiting the construction sector, such as permanently extending the pro-housing and business policies from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, said the statement.
As for the pressure created by high mortgage rates on prospective buyers, things could improve this year.
In a June 12 commentary, Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at real estate data company Bright MLS, said she expects mortgage rates to “decline more significantly at the end of the summer, leading up to the Fed’s September meeting.”
“Lower rates could bring more buyers out this fall. But it is becoming more of a possibility that weakening consumer confidence and labor market concerns may cast a long shadow into the fall housing market,” she wrote.
Scott Turner, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said in a June 19 X post, “The simple answer to addressing the housing affordability issue: Build more housing.”
Turner proposed building more Opportunity Zones that “allow our private sector to innovate and cut down costly red tape.”
Opportunity Zones, created under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, allow people to invest in distressed areas in America, according to an Oct. 8 post by the IRS. They are aimed at spurring “economic growth and job creation in low-income communities while providing tax benefits to investors.”
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
