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PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwired - Jun 18, 2014) - According to the BMO Harris Bank Housing Confidence Report issued today, 78 percent of Arizona millennials (those ages 18-34) and 50 percent of Arizonans across all age groups plan to purchase a home in the next five years. In Phoenix, that number rises to 60 percent. One in 10 of Arizonans with a five-year timeline will be first-time homebuyers.

The study showed likelihood to buy is highest among millennials in Arizona, and increases with a longer purchasing timeline:

Timeline for Purchase	Ages 18-34	Ages 35-54	Ages 55+	Total Likely
Next 12 months	31%	16%	5%	17%
Next 2 Years	48%	26%	17%	30%
Next 5 Years	78%	51%	23%	50%

"It's encouraging to see this level of confidence in our local housing market," said Tony Cesarano, Arizona Mortgage Market Manager, BMO Harris Bank. "It's especially heartening to see the high percentage of people under age 35 who are looking to make a purchase in the next few years; in many cases it will be their first time. Buying a home is such an important decision, and there are a lot of factors to consider, not least of which is financing. A banker can walk prospective home-buyers through the process and help guide them to making the decision that best meets their financial goals."

According to the study, 71 percent of the Grand Canyon State residents currently own and 29 percent rent. The top three reasons homeowners cited for owning rather than renting were they considered it a good long-term investment (67 percent), having somewhere to call their own (65 percent), and more freedom to make renovations (64 percent). The top three reasons people in Arizona cited for renting rather than owning were financial instability (51 percent), difficulty of finding an affordable home in their desired location (33 percent) and having to deal with less upkeep and maintenance (31 percent).

"While the housing market is on the upswing, the record level of student debt carried by young Americans does pose a challenge to many in their 20s and 30s hoping to purchase their first home," said Michael Gregory, Head of U.S. Economics, BMO Capital Markets. "Student debt levels have more than doubled in the last seven years to $1.1 trillion. The financial burden means renters are delaying entering the purchasing market, which has a trickle-down effect on the overall housing recovery."

According to BMO Economics, U.S. home prices are still rising. The S&P/Case-Shiller metric is up 12.4 percent year-over-year during the past 12 months (ending March) and 12.8 percent in the first quarter of 2014. Although the annu al pace is slightly slower than the post-recession 13.7 percent year-over-year peak hit last autumn (and a cooling is welcome at this point given affordability considerations), prices are still up a cumulative 25 percent from their January 2012 lows.

The study also showed ownership by property type:

	National	Arizona	Phoenix
House	95%	97%	95%
Condo/Apartment	5%	3%	5%

At the national level, the poll found:

• Three-quarters (74 percent) of American millennials will buy in the next 5 years
• Nearly half (45 percent) of millennials said they will buy in the next two years, and a third (32 percent) will buy in the next 12 months
• Just more than a tenth (12 percent) of renters say they prefer to rent and never plan to buy
  
  

Survey results cited in this report are from a Pollara survey commissioned by BMO Harris Bank using interviews with an online sample of 2,500 Americans, including 250 from the state of Arizona, conducted between April 1^st and 7^th, 2014. The margin of error for a probability sample of 2,500 is ± 1.96%, and 250 is ± 6.2% 19 times out of 20.

For more trends, tips and tools for your financial future, visit bmoharris.com/YourFinancialLife.

About BMO Harris Bank

BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of person al banking products and solutions through more than 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet. Banking products and services are provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. and are subject to bank or credit approval. BMO Harris® and BMO Harris Bank® are trade names used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and CDN $582 billion in assets (as of April 30, 2014).