At only 26 years old, Amanda Sidway just bought her first home. The Charlotte restaurant manager is part of a new surge of young homebuyers, eager to take advantage of the market.

"I got tired of renting. Rent increased every single year," Sidway said.

Realtor Scott Lindsley said at least half of his clients are now young buyers, something that only a decade ago would have seemed nearly impossible.

"You can get an interest rate that's under 4 percent, sometimes under 3, so it really makes sense financially," Lindsley said.

During the economic downturn, many younger people moved back in with their parents. But a recent real-estate survey showed most 18- to 35-year-olds value homeownership and believe it's a key indicator of success.

Alexi Barroso, 28, admits buying his first home was intimidating, but feels confident he made the right decision.

"I'm actually paying a lot less than I would be paying if I was renting," Barroso said.