3 The majority of Californians are now waiting until their late 40s to buy their first homes. Getty ImagesIn California, renters in their 30s and a most of their 40s outnumber owners — with the age steadily rising over the past 15 years. Half of Californians used to own their homes by 39, but that age has jumped to 47, following the state’s continued rise in costs for homeownership. 3 In California, renters in their 30s and a most of their 40s outnumber owners — with the age steadily rising over the past 15 years. The Public Policy Institute used recent American Community Survey data to track homeownership rates by age.