More Hispanics are homeowners

Washington - Hispanic families with home ownership increased from 4.2 million in the year 2000 to 6,600,000 in 2012 , representing an increase of 58 % , said Wednesday the National Association of Realtors ( NAHREP ) .

The rest of the U.S. population in the same period saw a net increase of only 5% , according to data from the association.

With these figures , Hispanic families are consolidated as the largest minority in buying homes in the country, NAHREP said.

"Despite a difficult economic environment and poor housing market , Hispanics have registered gains in all the ways that lead them to homeownership ," said Juan Martinez, president of NAHREP .

In 2012 , Hispanics continued to lead the increase in home ownership , registering 693,000 new properties , compared to 355,000 in 2011 .

The housing association, which produced its usual annual Census report indicated that the " combination of demographic and economic trends explain why this colossal consumer segment will be a key force behind the economic revitalization ."

In the last twelve years, only in 2009 and 2010 , and because of the economic crisis in the United States, there have been declines in home buying by the Hispanic community.

As a percentage of total home ownership in the U.S., however, has decreased from 47.5 % in 2010 to 46.1 % in 2012.

NAHREP explains this figure by the tremendous growth of the Hispanic population in the United States, where 50,000 citizens each month come of age and has been an increase of more than a million Hispanic households in the last two years.

Hispanics also show an increasing purchasing power , estimated at about $ 1.2 billion today, and is projected to reach 1.5 billion in 2015.

In education samples increased Hispanic presence is also seen , with more than two million Hispanics between 18 and 24 years in college.