New Polling Data from HOMEstretch Points to an Unexpected Wave of Homeseller Confidence in the 2026 U.S. Housing Market, Particularly With Wealthier Owners
The national poll results reveal a wealth gap in market sentiment, with higher-income households expressing a 64% confidence rating compared to 55% for lower-income households.
Nearly 60% of homesellers feel confident in the housing market, defying the stubbornly high home values and soaring interest rates that have softened the market in recent quarters, according to a nationwide survey of 1,500 U.S. adults who have recently sold or are currently looking to sell their home.
The poll, conducted online May 15-16 and released by HOMEstretch, a company that supports thousands of U.S. homeowners each year with cosmetic improvements to maximize sales prices, dives into current market sentiment and unearthed a structural shift where the majority of home transactions are being thoughtfully planned over months or years.
“The data demonstrates that, although the housing market is slower, the U.S. homeseller is not panicking,” said Derek Shewmon, founder of HOMEstretch. “Expressing a higher market confidence rating than expected, today’s buyers and sellers are moving forward with highly intentional and deliberate sales rather than pulling back from the market altogether.”
