3.7 / 10
The biggest opportunity is at the very start
Confidence among homebuyers just starting out fell from 7.1 in 2025. Most clients don't reach a counselor until weeks before closing.
3rd Annual Homeownership Confidence Report · 2026
Getting the keys is only the beginning.
We asked aspiring homebuyers, homeowners and housing professionals how confident they feel, from the first thought of buying through the first five years of owning. The answers point to where support matters most.
514
aspiring buyers and homeowners
54
homeownership professionals
4
U.S. regions, led by the Midwest
2nd
year tracking confidence
Where are they on the journey?
Confidence peaks at closing, then dips
Select a stage to see how people there feel, what holds them back and what they want to learn.
Buying a homeOwning a home
Average confidence (1–10) in buying a home, or in managing finances as a homeowner. Groups range from 19 to 79 respondents; smaller groups are directional.
In their words
What homeowners wish they'd known
That the insurance payment is more than the house payment.
Even if you don't do anything to your house, your property taxes will still go up.
I'm so worried that something is going to break and we won't be able to afford to fix it.
Key findings
Homebuyers and homeowners are doing the work. Support arrives late and thins out after closing.
27%
Ready to buy, not yet ready to own
Of homebuyers under contract feel ready to plan for a roof or HVAC repair, even as they rate their confidence 8.7 out of 10.
68% vs. 18%
The cost of keeping a home drives the stress
Homeowners are far more stressed by repair costs than by their monthly mortgage payment. Insurance mentions nearly doubled in a year.
35% vs. 10%
Targeted support can close the biggest gaps
Homeowners earning under $50,000 are far more likely than those earning $80,000+ to have no plan for a major repair.
53%
Wealth-building steps go unstarted
Of homeowners haven't started an estate plan, and 39% haven't started using their home equity.
82%
Homebuyers are committed to getting there
Have cut back to pursue homeownership, rising to 97% of homebuyers under 35. Half are using down payment assistance.
The $10,000 repair test
Your roof needs a $10,000 repair. How would you pay for it?
Choose an answer to see how 237 homeowners responded.
Who we heard from
Meet the 514 people behind the numbers
330 homeowners and 174 aspiring buyers from Framework Homeownership's community.
What's inside
28 pages of findings and strategies
- 01Starting the Journey. How confidence changed from 2025, and why the earliest buyers lost ground.
- 02The Price of Getting In. The sacrifices buyers make, and how assistance gets them over the line.
- 03Beyond the Keys. Why the pressure builds after closing, year by year.
- 04Building Wealth at Home. The $10,000 repair test, and the wealth-building steps left unstarted.
- 05A Partner for the Journey. What people want to learn, where they turn for help, and what ongoing support changes.
- +Strategies to Make Homeownership Last. What housing professionals can do, starting now.
Written for the people who make homeownership last
- Housing counselors and nonprofits
- Lenders, credit unions and servicers
- Real estate professionals
- Housing finance agencies and policymakers
- Funders and employers investing in housing stability
Free download
Start earlier.
Stay longer.
Get the full 2026 Homeownership Confidence Report, with every chart, homeowners' own words, and three strategies you can put to work now.