What Buyers and Sellers Really Expect From the 2026 Housing Market
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What Buyers and Sellers Really Expect From the 2026 Housing Market
A new survey from Clever Real Estate reveals a clear split in consumer sentiment. People expect financial stress, rising prices, and even recession-level uncertainty. But they’re also eager to take action, upgrade their space, and finally make the move they’ve been putting off.
Understanding what buyers and sellers expect from the housing market can help you stay ahead of the questions and concerns that will shape real decisions in the coming year.
The Economic Anxiety Driving 2026 Housing Decisions
Consumers feel the pressure. The survey shows only 40% of those planning to buy or sell in 2026 believe the U.S. economy is heading in the right direction, while an equal 40% expect it to get worse. More than half (55%) think a recession or depression is coming.
Nearly everyone planning a move expects stress.
93% anticipate challenges to their financial stability in 2026
40% worry they won’t be able to afford housing payments
65% expect inflation to get worse next year
82% of buyers and sellers say inflation is a major concern
Consumers expect increases in essential costs like groceries and food (24%), mortgage or rent (15%), utilities (71%), and medical expenses (57%).
Housing affordability is top of mind. About 39% expect affordability to get worse in 2026, compared with only 23% who expect improvement.
Despite all this economic anxiety, people still believe next year is their moment to move.
What Consumers Expect From the 2026 Market
A striking 86% of future movers believe 2026 will be a good time to buy or sell. Most expect home prices to keep rising.
55% expect prices to rise in their local market
Only 16% expect prices to fall
There’s also a growing belief that buyers may gain more leverage. Among those planning to move:
42% expect a buyer’s market
34% expect a seller’s market
23% expect a balanced market
At the same time, 40% fear a housing crash and 55% expect a full recession. This combination of optimism and fear is pushing many into action after waiting through 2024 and 2025.
More than half of 2026 buyers (51%) delayed purchasing earlier because they lacked confidence in the market. About 42% of sellers say they also delayed selling over the past two years.
Pent-up demand is real, and people aren’t willing to wait much longer.
How Buyers Plan to Navigate 2026
Buyers think 2026 is a “go” year, but not an easy one. Most expect to face obstacles.
98% expect buying challenges
45% are first-time buyers
64% worry rising prices could delay their purchase
66% worry a recession could impact their plans
50% are worried about qualifying for a mortgage, up from 41% last year
The biggest difficulties buyers expect:
Finding the right home 46%
Staying within budget 44%
Mortgage interest rates 36%
Moving logistics 32%
Neighborhood quality 28%
Saving for a down payment 26%
Closing costs 24%
Homeowners insurance 17%
Property taxes a significant factor for 80%
Affordability is driving real behavior change. Half say they need financial assistance, and 63% are open to buying a fixer-upper compared with 53% in 2025.
Even with all these concerns, buyers expect to hold ground on price. A majority, 54%, expect to pay exactly the asking price. Nearly twice as many expect to pay below asking (30%) as above (16%).
In total, 84% of buyers believe they will pay at or under asking.
How Sellers Are Thinking About 2026
Sellers are entering 2026 confident about pricing, but they’re nervous about demand and time on market.
61% expect to sell at asking price
27% expect to sell above asking
12% expect to sell below asking
Nearly 48% worry they missed the peak of their market and will have to accept lower prices than during recent highs. Competition is also a growing concern.
58% worry their home will sit too long
49% are concerned about competing with new construction and incentives
24% worry about competing with other resale listings
19% expect low buyer demand
Preparing a home for sale is becoming more work. Half of sellers, 50%, expect to make significant repairs or renovations before listing, up from 35% last year.
There are ethical concerns, too. A surprising 48% say they would omit mention of minor issues with the property. Four out of 10 (40%) say they would try to cover up more serious defects.
Pricing sensitivity is high. A full 68% say they would pull their listing entirely if they can’t get the number they want.
Sellers still expect a competitive market, though; 69% think they’ll receive multiple offers.
Inflation and Market Pressure Are Changing Behaviors
Consumers know they need to save money to pursue a move in 2026. A massive 93% are adjusting their spending habits. They plan to cut back in multiple ways.
Eating out less 49%
Using more coupons or cashback 42%
Shopping less 36%
Reducing non-essential spending 35%
Some expect relocation itself to reduce costs. About 20% plan to move to a lower-cost area.
Yet despite financial pressure, many prospective buyers are still planning major purchases alongside a home transaction. That includes:
Cars (31% vs 19% of the general population)
Major electronics (25% vs 15%)
Large appliances (24% vs 14%)
Home renovations (24% vs 13%)
Consumers are preparing to stretch budgets in multiple directions next year.
Key Details:
Clever Real Estate surveyed Americans planning to buy or sell in 2026 and found that 86% think next year will be a good time to move, even though 93% expect financial challenges from inflation, affordability concerns, and rising utility and medical costs.
More than half expect local home prices to rise in 2026, and 64% worry prices could delay their purchase as buyers push for leverage and sellers hold firm on pricing.
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