Homebuyers Won't Settle in 2026

Prospective homebuyers held back in 2025, but in the coming year, that may change. According to a recent survey from RE/MAX of more than 1,000 prospective homebuyers in the U.S., 88% say they plan to purchase a house in 2026.

Throughout 2025, many would-be buyers put off buying a house due to unmanageable costs, but that doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned their dream of homeownership altogether. According to 71% of survey respondents, current market conditions delayed their homebuying timeline, and 78% of respondents said that more affordable prices would prompt them to buy a home within six months or less.

Building a sense of community is important to buyers

Just because demand is expected to improve in 2026, homebuyers aren’t willing to settle for just any home. With more available listings than buyers, 2026 is still expected to largely be a buyer’s market, and this means that home shoppers are negotiating for both better prices and better lifestyle features.

Living somewhere that offers a deep sense of community was important to most surveyed buyers, with many even indicating that they would pay more for certain community features and amenities; in fact, the report says 76% would pay 5% or more of a home’s listing price if it had community amenities such as a gym, pool, or other communal spaces, and 71% said they would pay more to live somewhere with friendly neighbors and strong community engagement.

In 2026, location is still everything

On top of community, close proximity to work, retail and dining, and other lifestyle amenities is important to prospective buyers. Those surveyed cited suburban areas and city centers as their top options for where they would like to live because of the proximity to these amenities.

Additionally, 58% of prospective homebuyers said they want to live somewhere that lessens they're commute time. Other important factors include proximity to shopping, according to 58% of prospective buyers; proximity to restaurants, according to 54% of buyers; and proximity to schools, according to 45% of buyers.

Future development is also important to prospective buyers. Of those surveyed, 53% said future neighborhood development—such as more housing, retail, or transit upgrades—is important to them when searching for a place to live as they believe it will add value to their home.