U.S. Homeownership Aspirations Aren't Dead: Owning a Home Remains a Defining Element of the American Dream

CHERRY HILL, N.J., and PORTLAND, Maine, May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As the country continues to emerge from the turbulent mortgage period, a Home Buyer Poll released today by TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, reveals aspirations of homeownership are still very much alive in the U.S. The majority (84%) of today's younger renting generation (ages 18-34) responded that they intend to buy a home. Overall, more than half of consumers polled say homeownership is a vital component to defining the American Dream and 59 percent associated feelings of excitement or pride as part of their first time home buying process.

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TD Bank surveyed more than 1,300 consumers across the U.S. to better understand the perceptions and attitudes surrounding home ownership, specifically examining the attitudes of current renters and prospective home owners, as well as past and present home owners.

Owning The American Dream

The majority of current home owners surveyed report purchasing their first home early in life with 4 out of 5 buying between ages 18-34. Close to two-thirds of those polled continue to be homeowners. The poll also found that first time homebuyers are more likely to cite achieving the American Dream as a primary motivation for purchasing their first home.

"There's no denying buying a home is a pivotal point in a person's life. Our survey tells us that people are looking to buy homes, and attitudes towards homeownership have continued to remain positive over the years," said Michael Copley, Executive Vice President, Retail Lending, TD Bank. "TD Bank remains committed to helping keep the American Dream alive by giving customers the hassle-free tools to borrow smarter and make this dream a reality."

Of those who intend to own, the American Dream (18%) is considered as important or more than other motivations for buying a home, such as:

• Good opportunity (17%)
• An evolving family (11%)
• Being financially ready (10%)

The survey revealed that plans to own a home tracked similarly across genders, with 66% of female respondents planning to own a home compared to 57% of men.

Financing Your First Home

"With more than half of homeowners surveyed stating getting a mortgage and making a down payment is the preferred method of payment, choosing a lender remains a vital step in the home buying process," continued Copley. "At TD Bank, we are a portfolio lender; we don't sell our customers. We have more flexible lending guidelines and interest rates resulting in more affordable, and easy to understand, home financing options to suit various borrowing needs."   

Other Key Findings From The Survey Include:

• Three out of 10 homeowners consider their house their dream home.
• While younger homeowners are more stressed (20%) compared to older homeowners when asked to look back on their first home, older homeowners were more proud (51%), more confident (20%) and far less stressed (9%).
• Seventy-eight percent of respondents said that they plan to stay in their current home.
• Staying within budget (43%) is a top consideration when buying a home among those who intend to buy.

TD Bank developed the First Time Homebuyer Kit to create a rewarding home-buying experience. Available on the TD Bank website (www.tdbank.com/firsthome) as well as in stores, the kit is designed to take the customer through the process of purchasing a home, providing advice and information needed to choose the house and mortgage to best suit individual needs.

Some things to consider when buying your first home are:

• Determine how much you can afford: By looking at your income and current monthly debts you can determine what you can afford.
• Buying a home isn't for everyone:  Know the benefits of owning vs. renting before making any decisions. Also stop to think about what type of home you can afford and which style suits your lifestyle such as single-family homes, townhouses or fixer-uppers.
• Narrow the focus of your search: Many factors impact the ideal type of house for each buyer, including desired features and benefits, life stage and how many improvements you are willing to make before moving in.
• Make the mortgage process as hassle-free as possible: From fixed-rate to adjustable-rate, there are several options to fit your needs.

Survey Methodology
The study was conducted among a nationally representative group of consumers from April 17th -25th, 2012. The sample size of 1,303 has a margin of error of +/- 2.3%. The survey was hosted by global research company Angus Reid Public Opinion.

About Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion is the Public Affairs practice of Vision Critical -- a global research company. Vision Critical is a leader in the use of the Internet and rich media technology to collect high-quality, in-depth insights for a wide array of clients.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 7.4 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,275 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized wealth management services through TD Wealth, and insurance products and services through TD Insurance, Inc. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. To learn more, find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US, or visit www.tdbank.com.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody's. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD." To learn more, visit www.td.com.

SOURCE TD Bank