When Homeowners Stay Put, the Housing Market Changes
Many homeowners are responding to today’s affordability pressures by investing more in the home they already own.
According to reporting based on Angi’s State of Home Spending research, 66% of homeowners plan to make a significant home investment within the next five years, the highest share recorded in the study.
That investment could include replacing an aging roof, updating major systems, remodeling for changing family needs, preparing for an eventual sale, or making a home more suitable for aging in place.
Collectively, these decisions are influencing how many homes come to market and creating an earlier opportunity for agents to join the homeowner’s decision-making process.
Why Staying Put Makes Financial Sense
For homeowners with mortgage rates well below current levels, moving can produce a much larger monthly payment, even when the replacement property is similarly priced.
Renovating offers a more controlled financial decision. Owners can choose the timing, scope, and cost of a project without surrendering their existing mortgage or taking on the costs of selling and buying.
Inflation, insurance expenses, borrowing costs, and economic uncertainty add further weight to that decision. A homeowner may still want a different property, but improving the current one can make waiting more comfortable.
This improve-in-place behavior is one reason fresh housing supply remains constrained.
Local Inventory Is Moving Differently From the National Market
Nationally, active listings increased 2.1% year over year in July. Even with that growth, the number of homes available remained 11.6% below typical 2017 through 2019 levels, according to Realtor.com’s July 2026 housing report.
The local market is tighter.
In July, homes available for sale declined 7.8% from the previous year, while new listings fell 18%. Closed sales fell 19.4%, while pending sales rose 2.6%.
Those numbers describe a market with active buyers, limited fresh inventory, and far more scrutiny of price, condition, and location. Homes also took longer to sell, with median days on market rising to 51 days.
Longer market times do not automatically indicate excess supply. Buyers may have more time to evaluate individual properties while still struggling to find homes that meet their needs and budgets.
A Renovation Can Be an Early Market Signal
A homeowner discussing a major project may be revealing more than a design preference.
The family considering an addition may have outgrown the home. The owner remodeling a bathroom may be preparing to age in place. A new roof may be routine maintenance, or it may be one of the final projects before selling.
The agent’s opportunity begins with curiosity.
Instead of waiting for the homeowner to request a valuation, ask questions such as:
What are you hoping this project changes about the way the home works for you?
How long do you expect the improvement to meet your needs?
Have you compared the cost of renovating with the cost of moving?
Would local sales information help you decide how much to invest?
Are you making the improvement for your own use, future resale, or a combination of both?
These questions open a useful business conversation without forcing a premature discussion about listing the property.
How to Stay Connected Without Becoming Background Noise
Generic market emails are easy to ignore. A message tied to the homeowner’s property, neighborhood, or stated plans is far more likely to earn attention.
Here is a practical system agents can use.
1. Add Homeownership Details to the CRM
A closing date and email address are not enough to support a long-term relationship.
Record useful details such as:
Property address and purchase date
Neighborhood, subdivision, or condominium community
Improvements the client has mentioned
Major systems that may need future attention
Questions or concerns raised during the transaction
Expected timing for a renovation, relocation, or life change
Date of the last personal conversation
Create CRM tags such as “considering renovation,” “aging in place,” “growing household,” “investment property,” or “future downsizer.” Use only information the client has willingly shared.
When a homeowner mentions a project, schedule the next follow-up immediately. “Check back in 90 days” is far more reliable than hoping to remember.
2. Create a Simple Annual Contact Rhythm
A useful homeowner follow-up plan can include four types of contact:
Property anniversary: Send a personal message acknowledging the purchase anniversary and ask how the home is working for them.
Neighborhood update: Share one or two nearby sales that materially affect the value or competitive position of the property.
Seasonal homeowner check-in: Send a timely reminder about maintenance, insurance, storm preparation, property taxes, or another issue relevant to local ownership.
Annual home strategy review: Offer a brief review of recent comparable sales, estimated market position, neighborhood activity, and the homeowner’s plans for the next year.
Each contact should have a clear reason. Relevance matters more than frequency.
3. Use MLS Data to Make the Message Personal
REsides subscribers can use Matrix to monitor listing and sales activity near a past client’s property. Realist can help verify property details, while Cloud CMA can turn comparable activity into a polished homeowner review. InfoSparks can provide broader market context when it adds meaning to the conversation.
Instead of sending, “The market is changing,” tell the homeowner what changed near them.
For example:
“A home similar to yours just sold nearby after 38 days on market. It had an updated kitchen but an older roof, which affected the negotiations. If you are still considering your renovation, I can show you how buyers are responding to updated homes in the neighborhood.”
That message gives the homeowner usable information and demonstrates the value of accurate MLS data.
4. Offer a Pre-Renovation Market Review
Before a client commits to a major project, offer to review comparable properties with and without similar improvements.
The review can cover:
Whether the neighborhood supports the proposed investment
How updated properties compare with dated homes
Which improvements appear to influence buyer interest
Whether the project could improve marketability
How long the owner would likely need to remain in the home to justify the cost
This is not a promise that a renovation will produce a specific return. It is property-specific market context that can help the homeowner make a better-informed decision.
5. Follow Up After the Project
When the expected completion date arrives, ask how the project went.
Encourage the homeowner to retain:
Permits and inspection records
Contractor invoices
Product warranties
Before-and-after photographs
Plans, specifications, and material details
Records of major system upgrades
These documents can become valuable when the property is listed, especially when buyers compare an updated home with one that may require immediate work.
Record the completed improvements in the CRM so future market reviews reflect the property more accurately.
6. Build a Five-Homeowner Weekly Habit
Choose five past clients or homeowners from the database each week.
For each one:
Review recent activity near the property.
Look for a meaningful reason to contact the homeowner.
Send a personal message or make a short call.
Record what was discussed.
Schedule the next appropriate follow-up.
Five homeowners per week creates about 250 thoughtful contacts over a year. That is manageable for an individual agent and measurable for a brokerage.
A Practical Opportunity for Brokers
Brokers can make homeowner engagement easier by giving agents a repeatable system instead of leaving everyone to invent one independently.
Consider providing:
Standard CRM tags for homeowner plans and property updates
A template for an annual home strategy review
Monthly ideas for timely homeowner conversations
Short scripts agents can personalize
A process for creating neighborhood activity reports
A simple tracker for completed reviews and resulting appointments
The most useful adoption measures are homeowner conversations, reviews delivered, renovation plans recorded, follow-ups scheduled, and listing opportunities uncovered.
Start With Good Advice
Homeowners who consistently maintain and improve their properties may eventually bring better-quality homes to market. Future buyers could benefit from updated systems, fewer immediate repairs, and less deferred maintenance.
Every project will affect value differently. Essential maintenance protects condition. Some renovations increase buyer appeal. Highly personal projects may deliver more enjoyment than resale return.
The owner replacing a roof today may be years away from selling. They still need informed, property-specific guidance.
Agents who provide that guidance now will not need to reintroduce themselves when the homeowner’s plans change.
