Homeowners are sitting on a record amount of equity, so what has them so worried about housing? A new study by LendingTree surveyed more than 1,500 Americans to gauge their expectations of homeownership.
They worry most about upcoming repairs needed on their home. Nearly one-third of respondents cited major home repairs as their top housing-related worry.
More than half of respondents surveyed say that homes are becoming less affordable in their neighborhoods. With higher prices, they plan to stay put longer. As such, renovations are bigger on their minds.
Nearly three out of four respondents said they are considering renovations this year. Fifty-three percent said they were motivated to do so to increase their home’s value. Other reasons were to give the home an updated look (24%), make the home easier to sell (22%), and add more space to their home (9%).
While rising home prices have some homeowners concerned, they are still upbeat about the housing market overall. And they’re upbeat about their equity: 55% of respondents said they believe their home’s value will improve this year. Also, 68% said they believe that homeownership is a good investment.
But rising home prices do spur concerns for them about affordability. Fifty-three percent of respondents predict housing will be less affordable over the next decade. Gen Xers and baby boomers--at 53% and 57%, respectively—are the most pessimistic about housing affordability.
Source: “LendingTree Survey: More Than Half of Homeowners Expect Home Values to Rise in 2020,” LendingTree (Feb. 24, 2020)
