The home is handed over. The keys are in the buyer’s hand. For many builders, that moment feels like the finish line.
But according to the 2026 Homebuyer Experience Trends Guide – based on 134,012 survey responses from 31,972 homeowners across 113 builders in the US and Canada – closing day is really just the beginning.
Here are the biggest trends shaping homebuyer satisfaction in 2026, and what they mean for homebuilders.
Scores are improving – in both countries
The good news first: homebuyer satisfaction rose year over year across nearly every metric in both Canada and the United States.
In Canada, the biggest move-in gain was home delivery timeliness, which was the single largest improvement of any metric tracked. In the US, move-in scores were already among the highest in the industry, and they held that ground in 2025.
At the one-year anniversary mark, the US saw its strongest gain in builder accountability, suggesting more builders are stepping up when issues arise during the first year of ownership. Canada’s biggest anniversary signal was referral intent.
The direction is clear. Builders are doing more things right. The question is whether that momentum carries through the full homeowner journey.
Referral intent is rising – but it’s not sticking
Here is the number that deserves the most attention on your team’s dashboard.
At move-in, the majority of buyers in both the US and Canada are ready to recommend their builder. That is a large, willing pool of potential advocates.
The problem is what happens next. By the one-year anniversary, a significant share of that willingness is gone – and the drop is steeper in the US than in Canada. The full numbers are in the guide, and they are worth a close look.
This is not a minor fluctuation. It is a structural pattern, and it points directly to what happens (or does not happen) after move-in.
The post-move-in period is where builders win or lose referrals
The data is consistent across both years and both countries: warranty requests handled slowly, service issues left unresolved, and silence from the builder are the fastest ways to erode the goodwill earned at closing.
The builders holding the strongest anniversary scores share a common habit: they stay in contact proactively. A check-in at 30, 90, and 365 days. Visible status updates on service requests. Outreach that does not wait for a problem to surface first.
It sounds simple. Most builders know it matters. But the anniversary gap proves it is still not happening consistently enough.
What this means for your team
Three priorities stand out from this year’s data:
- Stay connected after move-in. Proactive outreach, not reactive damage control, is what separates the builders with strong anniversary scores.
- Protect the handover experience. Timeliness and cleanliness both matter. A home delivered on time but left dirty by trades still leaves a negative first impression.
- Turn happy buyers into active referrers. The pool of willing advocates is larger than ever. Ask at the right moment, make it easy to act on, and build the ask into your standard process.
Get the full report
Want a quick snapshot first? Download the 2026 Homebuyer Experience Trends Infographic for a visual summary of the key findings. No form required.
Ready to go deeper? The 2026 Homebuyer Experience Trends Guide includes state and province spotlights, monthly trend data through early 2026, and a full breakdown of where the US and Canada diverge. Download the full guide.
The surveys behind this report are powered by CustomerInsight – the homebuilder-specific survey platform built to help you capture feedback, track satisfaction, and act on the moments that matter most. Learn more about CustomerInsight.
Staying connected after move-in is easier with Homeowner Central – the homeowner portal built to streamline communication, manage service requests, and reduce warranty costs, all in one place. Learn more about Homeowner Central.