Half of American homeowners say the economy is driving them to stay put in their current home for an average of 12 years longer, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 homeowners explored the state of their home, finding that with more homeowners staying in place long-term, maintaining aging homes is becoming a priority.
Respondents are happy where they are — so much so that one in seven are in it for an even longer haul, envisioning themselves in their home for at least 20 more years (15%).
The survey conducted by Talker Research for Service Experts for National Homeowner Month in June found that for many, their home is an investment, with half saying that the economy has influenced how long they see themselves in their home (49%).
Just 6% see themselves relocating again.
More time with their home will mean making sure it’s up to par and getting ahead of the curve on maintenance. Luckily, they’re already on top of it, as eight in 10 homeowners say they prioritize proactive home care just as much, if not more, than reactive home care.
However, despite claiming to be proactive maintainers, many are unaware of how frequently essential tasks need to be taken care of proactively. The findings suggest many are still waiting until something goes wrong before taking action.
Even after owning their home for an average of 16 years, three-quarters of homeowners are still learning about how to get ahead of care for their home.
While those surveyed knew about the importance of furnace maintenance (38%) and HVAC (35%) on a yearly basis, their knowledge about other areas of crucial home maintenance are falling behind.
Just 24% of respondents knew that they were supposed to check on the condition of their plumbing annually, with even fewer knowing the same about electrical work and air quality (20% each).
Whether or not they knew of these maintenance standards, the majority of homeowners admit they have not revisited maintenance for plumbing (56%), electrical (71%) and HVAC (54%) in the past year.
When it’s time to get their home in check, just 41% are hands-on in maintenance tasks.
In their hands-on work, homeowners have tried to improve their home’s air quality (31%) and plumbing (22%).
To avoid feeling overwhelmed with the feats of home repair alone, some homeowners have even turned to AI, with 32% of these respondents finding a chatbot useful for knowing how to do a repair (32%), fix their plumbing (17%) or some kind of electrical work (17%).
DIY isn’t always for the win, though. While many homeowners attempt repairs to save money, the findings show that complex systems are where mistakes — and regret — are most common.
A quarter of those who have attempted general home repair on their own have regretted it, as well as 30% who have tried their hand at fixing their plumbing or electrical work (25%).
“Many homeowners want to take a hands-on approach with maintaining home systems, but without the right knowledge or experience, it can quickly become frustrating,” said Amanda Wilson, senior director of growth at Service Experts. “This research showed us that about a quarter of U.S. homeowners feel embarrassed by maintenance challenges, and one in five say it’s left them feeling disconnected from their own space.”
However, sometimes you just have to call in a professional. Americans ranked electrical work, HVAC maintenance and plumbing as the top three areas they wouldn’t dare attempt themselves.
Without the help, being behind on home maintenance leaves one in five respondents feeling disconnected from their space, and even more feeling embarrassed about their home (24%) and frustrated at their own skill level (36%).
One in six homeowners currently have at least three ongoing home-related projects right now and is putting off two of them.
The average homeowner whose home needs general repair has been putting off the stress of dealing with it for an entire year, with specifics like electrical work (one year) and plumbing (nine months), also being put on the back burner.
Those surveyed estimate that it would take about two years and cost a third of respondents (31%) over $10,000 to have everything in their home instantly fixed and up to maintenance.
Beyond a larger budget (46%), the top factor that would make staying on top of home maintenance feel more manageable is access to trusted professionals (29%) and more time (21%).
“Many homeowners aren’t putting off maintenance because they don’t care — they’re putting it off because they need professional help and don’t always know where to turn,” said Wilson. “The findings highlight just how important access to trusted professionals is for helping homeowners stay ahead of maintenance and avoid costly delays.
“In fact, nearly a quarter have delayed general repairs for that reason, along with 39% for plumbing, 42% for electrical work and 35% for HVAC, which points to just how critical access to trusted experts is for keeping homes properly maintained.”
Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 homeowners who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Service Experts and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 28 and May 4, 2026.