FirstHome IQ — Policy & Resources
Policy & Resources

Closing the Trust & Knowledge Gap for the Next Generation of Homebuyers

FirstHome IQ is a national nonprofit that equips mortgage professionals with research-backed tools to deliver trust-based homeownership education — and builds free resources that help aspiring buyers make confident financial decisions.

Our work is backed by insights from 9,000+ next-generation homebuyers.

12%
of next-gen buyers trust
the mortgage system
82%
never learned financial
literacy in school
8 in 10
still want to
own a home

What We're Fighting For

These priorities are grounded in data from our annual NextGen Homebuyer Report and reflect what loan officers see every day working with aspiring homebuyers.

🏠

Affordability

Expanding access to sustainable homeownership for the next generation of buyers. 76% say homeownership is harder than their parents' generation. The average first-time buyer is now 36 — the highest age on record.

📚

Financial Literacy

Making homebuyer education the standard through policy and professional practice. 82% of next-gen buyers never learned financial literacy in school, yet 2/3 already save regularly. The knowledge gap — not the motivation gap — is the barrier.

🤝

Equitable Access

Ensuring credit pathways work for everyone, especially communities historically left out of homeownership. Only 12% of next-gen buyers trust the mortgage system. That trust gap is widest among underserved populations.

2026 NextGen Homebuyer Report

Each year, FirstHome IQ surveys 1,000+ millennials and Gen Z on trust, financial literacy, and homebuying readiness. The findings inform our programs, our advocacy, and the national conversation about housing.

12%
trust the mortgage system
82%
never learned financial literacy in school
76%
say homeownership is harder than parents' generation
61%
would trust AI as much as a human advisor
6 in 10
feel the housing system works against them
8 in 10
still want to own a home
Download the Full Report →

Source: 2026 NextGen Homebuyer Report — surveying 1,000+ millennials and Gen Z nationally

Who We Are

FirstHome IQ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit closing the trust and knowledge gap that delays wealth-building for emerging generations of homebuyers. We certify mortgage professionals as trusted financial educators and equip them with research-backed tools to deliver education during the homebuying process.

Our approach is B2B2C: we train the professionals, and they reach the buyers. The result is more informed consumers, more trusted professionals, and a stronger path to homeownership for the communities that need it most.

160+

Certified ambassadors serving homebuyers in communities across the country

9,000+

Next-gen homebuyer insights collected through our annual research program

$0

Cost to consumers for all FirstHome IQ homebuyer education tools and resources

FirstHome IQ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Federal ID #92-2377727. Donations are tax-deductible.