07/04/2026
Tides are turning!
For the first time since 2023, more Americans say it’s better to buy a home than to rent one.
Bank of America’s 2026 Homebuyer Insights Report shows that 53% of consumers now favor buying, and confidence in homeownership is up across every attitude the survey measured.
90% say a home is a valuable investment, up from 79% in 2025
94% say homeownership provides stability, up from 83% in 2025
87% say owning a home feels like a milestone, up from 78% in 2025
86% say owning a home brings emotional fulfillment, up from 75% in 2025
32% say they’re more confident in their ability to buy this year, up from 27% in 2025
The share of prospective buyers still holding out for lower home prices and mortgage rates dropped to 71% in 2026, down from 75% the year before.
Gen Z and Millennial buyers are largely responsible for that bias toward action:
Gen Z at 68% vs 74% in 2025
Millennials at 70% vs 77% in 2025
The survey data suggest the lock-in effect is weakening, at least among buyers.
In fact, the willingness to make a move at a higher mortgage rate is up across all three compromise scenarios mentioned in BofA’s report, compared to 2025 and 2024.
