Why Americans Are Choosing to Stay Put

For years, the story of American homeownership had a familiar arc. Buy, live, sell, repeat. Every renovation decision came with another question – will this add resale value? Neutral paint and safe finishes became the standard, with homeowners saving personal touches for their “forever home.”

New data suggests that story is finally changing, marking the rise of the “stay era.”

In a national survey of 2,000 U.S. homeowners commissioned by Trex, 74% said they’re focused on staying in their current home and turning it into their dream home, rather than settling while they wait to move. Staying in their home isn’t a fallback anymore. For a growing number of Americans, it’s the goal.

This shift is also changing what homeowners expect from their homes, including spaces like backyards, patios, and decks. Instead of waiting for a future home, they’re finding ways to incorporate and update these spaces in their current home, so it meets their needs today.

Making the Most of Home Today

Much of this comes down to a broader change in how people are approaching life. It has less to do with the homes themselves and more to do with making the most of what they have:

• 58% would rather live for today and get the most out of life than wait for the “right moment”
• 53% find joy in appreciating what they already have
• 52% would rather create meaningful memories now than wait for some future opportunity

That mindset doesn’t stop at the front door. If the goal is to enjoy life now rather than later, waiting to love your home until you move somewhere better starts to look like a bad trade. Homeowners agree. 

Why Homeowners Are Staying

High mortgage rates, a tight housing market, and general uncertainty make it easy to understand why people aren’t moving. But the reasons for staying may be more nuanced than we think. While some homeowners may feel limited by today’s market, many are also choosing to stay and invest in the homes they already have:

• 55% plan to renovate rather than relocate anytime soon
• 14% plan to improve their home and move soon
• Just 8% plan to move soon without improving first

The interest in staying isn’t fading either. In fact, 40% of homeowners say they’re more interested in staying in their current home and improving it compared to a year ago, while more than half say their interest has stayed about the same.

Their responses offer more insight into why they’re staying:

• Remote work: Dedicated spaces that make working from home easier
• Work-life fit: Homes that support both professional and personal routines
• Everyday comfort: A home that already works well for how someone lives

More than a quarter of homeowners (26%) couldn't name a single benefit to moving instead of staying and improving.

In other words, staying put is becoming less about necessity and more about choice.

What Homeowners Want from Their Homes

Financial return still matters; it’s just not the only thing homeowners consider anymore. More and more, homeowners are thinking about how they want to live it right now:

• Three out of four homeowners (72%) say the daily enjoyment they get from their home matters as much or more than its financial return.
• 39% would put a hypothetical $25,000 windfall toward improving the home they already have rather than moving

Making Room for the Life You Want

When staying becomes a decision instead of a default, homeowners start treating their homes differently. They stop renovating for future buyers and start renovating for the life they’re living right now, this year, in the house they already have.

Backyards, patios, and decks are quickly becoming some of the most personal, most invested-in square footage homeowners have. It’s worth asking why outdoor spaces are carrying so much of this shift, and what homeowners are getting out of it that makes staying feel worth it. That’s exactly what the next post of this series will dig into.