Opendoor CEO Kaz Nejatian differed from Mark Cuban’s housing views, highlighting rising homebuyer ages and affordability concerns.
- Mark Cuban said sharing rent and cutting costs can help young people save money and build financial stability.
- Nejatian agreed with Cuban’s rent comparison but argued that buying a first home has become much harder.
- Opendoor stock is trading below $2 ahead of its Nov. 5 earnings report.
Opendoor Technologies (OPEN) stock gained overnight as CEO Kaz Nejatian challenged billionaire investor Mark Cuban’s views on housing affordability ahead of the company’s third-quarter (Q3) earnings. Nejatian argued that the bigger problem is not expensive rent but the growing difficulty of transitioning from shared accommodation to homeownership, as first-time buyer age climbs to 40.
Opendoor Technologies stock traded up more than 1% overnight, ahead of Monday. The stock has been in red for the past five weeks.
Mark Cuban Says Sharing Rent Can Help Young Americans Get Ahead
In an X post, Cost Plus Drugs co-founder Mark Cuban pushed back against the growing debate over housing affordability, explaining that young Americans can make financial progress by accepting modest living arrangements, sharing expenses and taking available jobs early in their careers.
“For those who care. This is the same unit layout, same complex in the Village Apartments, the Hills. Updated. Price $2388. Same in 2026 dollars as when I lived there. Split 6 ways. $400. Maybe there are extra charges. Maybe they won’t let 6 guys in there ( we weren’t supposed to be there either ). I don’t know. But the math is the math.”
He also defended taking whatever employment opportunities are available when starting a career, rather than waiting for an ideal position.
“Tbh, I didn’t mind living with 5 roommates. We all were in the same boat. I moved in when I was 24. Lived there or across the way for 2 years before I only needed one roommate.
If it’s not the lifestyle for you. So be it. If you don’t think just getting any job to get started is the right career choice for you. Do what you think is right.”
Opendoor CEO Says Homeownership Is Becoming A Later-Life Milestone
Replying to Cuban’s post, Nejatian acknowledged that his comparison of historical and current rental expenses may be reasonable. However, he said the path from renting to owning property has become considerably harder, pointing to a sharp increase in the average age of first-time homebuyers.
“Mark may be correct about the time adjusted rent. What he is wrong about is what that set you up for. In 1986 (when Mark says he moved out of this unit), the average age at which Americans bought their first home was 29. Today it is 40.”
Nejatian also added that today’s younger renters face a different challenge: They increasingly struggle to reach a point where they can afford to live independently.
“I paid $200 a month in rent when I was 19. I had roommates for nearly the entirety of my 20s. That’s not issue. The issue is that it has become far too hard to *stop* having roommates.”
According to market strategist Charlie Bilello, pending U.S. home sales fell to a record low, below levels seen in April 2020 during the pandemic. The decline highlights how high housing costs continue to make buying homes difficult.
The debate comes as Opendoor’s stock has slumped below $2, with high borrowing costs continuing to pressure the residential real estate market. Opendoor will report its Q3 earnings on Nov.5.
OPEN Stock: Retail View
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained ‘neutral.’
OPEN stock has crashed 69% year-to-date.
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