Redfin commissioned a survey to study what Americans feel about their homes and what they’re willing to do to buy a home. Here’s what they discovered:
Here’s how Americans feel about their homes:
74% of U.S. homeowners say they would rather be home than anywhere else
69% say that their home is a reflection of who they are
68% of homeowners say their home is the only place they can relax
68% say it’s the only place they can get a good night’s sleep
64% say that they feel a sense of belonging to their neighborhood
Here’s how Americans accumulated the money needed for a down payment:
54% saved directly from their paychecks
27% sold another home
13% sold stock investments
13% received a cash gift from family
11% of homebuyers worked second jobs to make a down payment
Mortgage apps dipped ~4% last week (holiday noise), but here’s the bigger takeaway: purchase applications are still running 18% higher than this time last year.
That matters, because purchase apps are one of the best early signals for buyer demand down the road. People don’t apply for mortgages on a whim. They apply because they’re serious and ready to move. When you see purchase apps climbing year-over-year, it’s a sign that buyers are adjusting to rates, getting off the sidelines, and stepping back into the market.
1 Tip or Thought
Anchor your move to life—not headlines.
There’s always noise. Especially in todays 24/7 news cycle. Rates up. Rates down. Inflation talk. Stock market drama. Political spin. If you wait for “perfect,” you’ll wait forever.
The people winning right now are the ones making decisions based on their life, not the news cycle. If your family’s growing, your job’s relocating, or your season of life is changing, that’s your signal.
You can’t postpone life.
What I tell my clients is simple: get clarity on what you need. What fits your budget? What fits your lifestyle? What future are you building?
Once you know that, the rest becomes problem-solving.
We don’t control the market. But we do control how we navigate it.
