I am 29, and finishing my PhD in Biochemistry. My friends are primarily in their mid-to-late 20s, with a sprinkling of 30s with college degrees, so overall we fit the profile you’re asking about. Although most of us are single and w/o kids, and tend to have fairly urban sensibilities.
“What kind of houses they are buying and what kind of down-payment they have?”
People that are buying are looking at condos and cottages. Down payments are primarily coming from parents/grandparents, and are modest at best. In fact, a lack of a downpayment is a huge barrier.
“Are Singles buying homes at all?”
Not from my point of view. It seems like the biggest incentive for people to buy is having a kid. Marriage can be an impetus, if only because it often means kids are planned.
A lot of my friends and co-workers also have seriously considered moving out of SoCal in the past year, although not necessarily to somewhere cheaper. The Bay Area is a popular destination. If moving is a serious possibility, it gives another reason not to buy.
