• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

2

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

1

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

2

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Personal FinanceHousing

Recent U.S. homebuyers are being hit with a massive wave of regret

Megan Leonhardt
By
Megan Leonhardt
Megan Leonhardt
Down Arrow Button Icon
Megan Leonhardt
By
Megan Leonhardt
Megan Leonhardt
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 8, 2022, 10:20 AM ET
Since the early days of the pandemic lockdowns, Americans have been on a homebuying tear. But it turns out many homeowners regret those spontaneous moves.
Since the early days of the pandemic lockdowns, Americans have been on a homebuying tear. But it turns out many homeowners regret those spontaneous moves.Alex Potemkin—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

For all of those who are second-guessing not taking advantage of the historically low mortgage rates available in 2021 and earlier this year, it turns out the grass isn’t always greener as a homeowner. 

One in five Americans have moved since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, according to a new survey from The Harris Poll shared exclusively with Fortune. The survey, fielded in mid-November, included a nationally representative sample of nearly 2,000 U.S. adults—1,296 homeowners and 615 renters. 

Of those who changed addresses in the last two and a half years, 44% reported that they now regret moving to their current home.

That may be due, in part, to the fact that the majority of those who chose to relocate (59%) say the decision was unplanned or unexpected. The spontaneous nature of the moves likely caused financial stress or may have led more people to make compromises on the location or nature of the property they’ve now come to second guess. 

The biggest reason for these moves? More space, according to about two-thirds of the survey respondents. And that makes sense, given that COVID-19 lockdowns forced many Americans to live and work much more out of their homes than pre-pandemic—making extra space a premium. 

Other big motivators of Americans’ moves included finding more affordable housing and cost of living. One-third of those surveyed say they took advantage of COVID-19-related market turmoil, saying they nabbed a good deal when renting or scored lower interest rates. 

Interestingly, about 56% of those who moved say they were motivated to find a safer neighborhood. And while crime rates did spike during the pandemic—the number of homicides jumped almost 30% in 2020—to some extent, seeking out safety is even more fundamental. 

These days, many Americans are wrestling with what experts call a “stacked crisis” that includes the COVID-19 pandemic, the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine, historic inflation levels, and more climate disasters, says Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer and futurist at the Harris Poll. 

“Our safety is just shattered because we've been living through all these other crises. All of this is kind of having a massive impact on consumers and just the human psyche,” Rodney says. “Critical to reestablishing our sense of safety, a foundational principle, is shelter and housing.”

Despite the current difficulties in buying a home amid rising interest rates and persistently low inventory, 39% of Americans surveyed want to move to a new home in the next three years. Among those prospective homeowners, more than half are considering rural and suburban destinations, Harris found. “That's driven by the ability to work remotely, but it's also driven by the fact that people do not feel safe in cities anymore,” Rodney says. 

Cost, of course, is also a factor in bolstering the appeal of suburban and rural properties. With the average 30-year mortgage rate now hovering at 6.49% (and set to go higher with more Federal Reserve rate hikes expected), many would-be homeowners have been forced to recalculate what—and where—they can afford to buy.

Thankfully, the housing boom that occured during the pandemic has abated, with experts like Fed Chair Jerome Powell saying recently that “hopefully [the market] will come out in a better place between supply and demand.”

But Rodney says that simply relying on market forces may not be enough—especially around something as critical as basic shelter. “There definitely needs to be some sort of shift to simplify these things, and get people in housing so that we can kind of start building back that foundational security and sense of safety that people are really seeking at this time,” Rodney says.

Our new weekly Impact Report newsletter examines how ESG news and trends are shaping the roles and responsibilities of today's executives. Subscribe here.

About the Author
Megan Leonhardt
By Megan Leonhardt
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Personal Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Personal Finance

Top CD rates today, June 19, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.30%
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates today, June 19, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.30%
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
11 hours ago
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on June 19, 2026
Personal FinanceSavings accounts
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on June 19, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
11 hours ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 19, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 19, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
14 hours ago
Current ARM mortgage rates report for June 19, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current ARM mortgage rates report for June 19, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
14 hours ago
Mortgage rates today, June 19, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, June 19, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
14 hours ago
Comprehensive Car Insurance: What It Covers and When It Pays Off
Personal FinanceInsurance
Comprehensive Car Insurance: What It Covers and When It Pays Off
By Joseph HostetlerJune 18, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
9 hours ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 18, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 18, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 18, 2026
1 day ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of gold as of June 18, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 18, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 18, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.