June 17, 2026
“Land Contracts in Detroit: Examining the Use of Land Contracts in Detroit’s Housing Market” examines nearly two decades of land contract activity across the city and combines quantitative data with the experiences of residents and housing practitioners to answer a simple but important question: who is using land contracts, where, and why do they continue to matter?
The report analyzes more than 17,000 land contract transactions recorded between 2008 and 2024 and explores why land contracts remain relevant even as mortgage lending has rebounded. It finds that land contracts have remained a consistent pathway to homeownership for many Detroiters, particularly among the foreign born and those who face barriers to traditional financing.
The findings suggest that for many Detroiters, particularly those in immigrant communities and those facing barriers to conventional financing, land contracts remain an important pathway to homeownership. The report also highlights opportunities to strengthen the systems that support alternative pathways to homeownership through expanded access to housing counseling, legal assistance, translation services, and consumer education.
Ultimately, this report is about understanding how Detroit residents access homeownership and identifying opportunities to strengthen the systems that support them.
This report was developed in partnership with Data Driven Detroit. The report was funded by the Rocket Community Fund, a Detroit based philanthropy whose mission is to simplify complex and inequitable systems to ensure that every American has access to stable, healthy housing.