For the first time since 2023, more Americans say buying over renting is the better choice, according to new 2026 survey data. That shift matters for Oklahoma City and Edmond homeowners and buyers because it signals renewed confidence, even as affordability stays tight in many markets. Here’s what’s behind the change and what it could mean for your own plans this year.

How Homeowner and Buyer Confidence Is Shifting

A new national survey on housing sentiment found that 53 percent of respondents now believe it’s better to buy a home in today’s market than to rent or move in with family, compared to 47 percent who feel the opposite. It’s a small but notable reversal after several years of hesitation.

The survey included 2,000 adults who currently own a home, have owned one in the past, or plan to own one in the future, split evenly between 1,000 homeowners and 1,000 renters. Compared to last year, sentiment around homeownership improved across the board:

• 90 percent say a home is a valuable investment, up from 79 percent
• 94 percent say it provides stability, up from 83 percent
• 87 percent say it feels like a milestone, up from 78 percent
• 86 percent say it brings emotional fulfillment, up from 75 percent

These are national figures, and every metro behaves a little differently. But the direction is worth paying attention to, since housing markets often move on confidence as much as on price.

Buying Over Renting: Fewer People Are Waiting It Out

Plenty of buyers are still holding out for lower prices or lower rates, but that share has dropped from 75 percent in 2025 to 71 percent in 2026. The decline is sharpest among younger buyers:

• Gen Z: 68 percent are still waiting, down from 74 percent last year
• Millennials: 70 percent are still waiting, down from 77 percent last year

Gen Z buyers in particular are adjusting their approach rather than waiting for conditions to change. Among Gen Z respondents:

• 28 percent are taking on extra work to save for a purchase
• 32 percent are considering co-buying with friends or family
• 31 percent plan to use down payment assistance programs

Buyers overall are also more willing to compromise than they were a year or two ago. Willingness to consider a more affordable area rose to 76 percent in 2026, up from 71 percent in 2025 and 68 percent in 2024. Willingness to wait for a dream home to become available climbed to 75 percent, and willingness to consider a different location rose to 71 percent, both up from prior years.

Among current homeowners, 52 percent expect to buy again, and 22 percent plan to move within the next year, up from 15 percent in 2025.

Affordability Remains the Biggest Hurdle

None of this means the market suddenly became easy. Affordability is still the top concern for most buyers:

• 58 percent cite high home prices as a barrier, up from 46 percent last year
• 47 percent cite high interest rates, up from 40 percent last year

Renters are feeling the pressure too, and many are trading down to manage costs, whether that means a more affordable complex or a smaller unit. In some markets, moving from a two-bedroom to a one-bedroom rental can save close to $200 a month.

What This Means for Oklahoma City and Edmond Buyers and Sellers

Locally, the story tracks with what many OKC-area agents and lenders have been seeing in recent months. Prices and rates haven’t dropped dramatically, but more buyers are deciding to move forward anyway rather than waiting for conditions to shift.

Down payment assistance programs, in particular, are getting more attention here. Local lenders such as Brooke Gagliardi with Flat Branch Home Loans and Gordon Chandler with AMC Mortgage regularly help OKC and Edmond buyers understand which programs they qualify for, which can make a meaningful difference for first-time buyers weighing whether now is the right time.

For sellers, the shift in buyer psychology is worth noting. Buyers who might have paused a search a year ago are increasingly willing to act, provided a home is priced appropriately and shows well from the start.

A Market Shaped by Confidence as Much as Conditions

National surveys only tell part of the story, and Oklahoma City’s market has its own rhythm. But the broader trend is clear: after several years of waiting for perfect conditions, more buyers are choosing to work with the market as it is. Whether that means exploring a different neighborhood, considering a smaller home, or looking into assistance programs, the mindset shift is real, and it’s worth understanding whether you’re planning to buy, sell, or simply keep an eye on the market this year.