Opendoor CEO Challenges Cuban on Housing Affordability
Kaz Nejatian responded to Mark Cuban's rent comparison as Opendoor's stock traded up ahead of its Q3 earnings report.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Residential
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Opendoor Technologies CEO Kaz Nejatian replied to a post by Mark Cuban comparing 1980s rent with today's costs, acknowledging the math while arguing that moving from renting to owning has become harder. OPEN stock traded up more than 1% overnight.
Why it matters
Nejatian argued that the path from shared rental housing to homeownership has grown more difficult as the average age of first-time buyers has risen. The exchange reflects a broader national debate over whether housing affordability has changed for younger renters.
Cuban's comparison split a 2026 price six ways to reach $400 per person, against a 1980s-era unit at the Village Apartments. The average age of first-time U.S. homebuyers rose from 29 in 1986 to 40 today, though the source of these figures is not specified.
The players
Kaz Nejatian
Kaz Nejatian is the CEO of Opendoor Technologies, an online home-buying and selling company, who previously shared that he paid $200 a month in rent at age 19.
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an investor and entrepreneur best known as a star of ABC's Shark Tank and as a co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs.
The details
Nejatian replied to Cuban's X post, acknowledging the time-adjusted rent comparison while arguing that the transition from renting to owning has become harder. Opendoor Technologies stock has been down for five weeks, trades below $2, and has fallen 69% year to date.
Timeline
1986: Average first-time U.S. homebuyer age was 29.
Monday, Nov. 2, 2026: OPEN stock traded up more than 1% overnight ahead of earnings.
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026: Opendoor reports Q3 earnings.
Housing Trend
The average age of first-time U.S. homebuyers rose from 29 in 1986 to 40 today, a shift that Nejatian ties to the growing gap between renting and owning. Pending U.S. home sales have also fallen to a record low below April 2020 levels.
For renters weighing a purchase, the exchange highlights that buying a first home is occurring later in life, with the average first-time buyer now 40. Readers comparing rent with ownership costs should account for how much prices have shifted since earlier decades.
The takeaway
Comparing today's housing costs with past decades requires adjusting for time, since first-time buyers are now typically older than in 1986. Renters considering a purchase should weigh how their own timelines and savings compare with those trends.
What happens next
Opendoor Technologies reports its Q3 earnings on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more residential real estate news to see how housing affordability is shaping buying decisions across the country.
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