Throughout 2018, people who didn't own a home were increasingly likely to express interest in buying a residence in the future, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The organization recently released its Aspiring Home Buyers Profile, based on the results of its Housing Opportunities and Market Experience surveys in 2018. The HOME survey is issued once a month, with results released on a quarterly basis.

In addition to analyzing the year's results, the National Association of Realtors looked at the effect of an additional adult moving into a household. This circumstance occurred infrequently, and most affected households said it did not spur them to consider moving to a different residence.

In each quarter of 2018, approximately nine out of 10 HOME survey respondents said they considered homeownership to be part of the American Dream. About three-quarters of non-owners felt the same.

Seventy-three percent of non-owners in the first quarter survey said they would like to own a home sometime in the future. This share increased to 81 percent in the second quarter, 82 percent in the third quarter, and 84 percent in the fourth quarter.

Asked why they don't currently own a home, non-owners were most likely to cite affordability. Between 33 and 49 percent of non-owners offered this response each quarter.

Non-owners were also likely to say their life circumstances were not suitable for homeownership, with between 16 and 33 percent giving this reason each quarter. Between 13 and 25 percent said they preferred the flexibility of renting to owning. Non-owners were less likely to say they didn't want the responsibilities of homeownership, with just 8 to 10 percent giving this reason.

Between 69 percent and 73 percent of homeowners considered it a good time to buy a home each quarter. Non-owners were less optimistic, with between 43 percent and 51 percent thinking it was a good time to buy.

Among non-owners, those between the ages of 55 and 64 were most likely to think it was a good time to buy, with 63 percent holding this opinion. This was followed by respondents earning $50,000 to $100,000 (55 percent), rural respondents (54 percent), and respondents from the South (53 percent). Respondents were most likely to say it was a bad time to buy if they lived in an urban area (53 percent), lived in the West (52 percent), or were 34 years old or younger (52 percent).

Finances were the chief incentive cited by non-owners as a factor that would convince them to buy a home, with between 28 and 31 percent saying they would do so if their financial situation improved. Between 26 and 30 percent said a lifestyle change, such as getting married or starting a family, would be the main reason they would buy a home.

Just 12 percent said the desire to settle in one location would inspire them to buy a home at the start of the year, but this share increased to 18 percent in the fourth quarter. Between 9 and 12 percent said better or more stable employment would convince them to purchase a home.

The fourth quarter HOME survey included a question about whether any other adults had moved in with the respondent in the past year. Nine percent said an adult child had moved in with them, while 3 percent said another adult had come to live with them and 2 percent said a parent had moved in with them.

Homeowners were slightly more likely to say someone had moved in with them, with 11 percent saying an adult child had moved in, 3 percent saying a parent had come to live with them, and 3 percent saying another adult was residing with them. Among non-owners, 5 percent said an adult child had come to live with them while 2 percent said another adult had moved in and 2 percent said a parent had moved in.

Among those who said an adult had come to live with them, 44 percent said they expected the person would stay for more than one year, if not permanently. Thirty-two percent said they thought this living arrangement would last for between six month and one year, and 24 percent said they expected the person to move out within six months.

The addition of another resident in the home rarely convinced a respondent to alter their living arrangements. Just 12 percent said they moved or considered moving because another adult had moved into the household.

Approximately 680 people were interviewed for the HOME survey each month, with 8,140 telephone interviews completed over the course of 2018.