A new survey commissioned by Rocket Mortgage and Redfin gives agents a current data point for renter-to-buyer conversations: 90% of homeowners said they were satisfied with their living situation, compared with 69% of renters.
Conducted by Ipsos in May, the survey of 4,000 US adults found that homeowners were also more likely to report financial flexibility, neighborhood belonging, and a stronger emotional connection to their home.
Homeowners feel more satisfied — and more secure
The gap was widest at the top of the satisfaction scale. Fifty-nine percent of homeowners said they were “very satisfied” with their living situation, compared with 34% of renters. Eighteen percent of renters said they were dissatisfied, versus 5% of homeowners.
The financial split helps explain part of the divide. Sixty-two percent of homeowners said they can easily afford their monthly housing payments, compared with 29% of renters. Homeowners were also more likely to say they frequently have money to spend on enjoyment, 59% versus 28% of renters.
A related report from the same survey found that 74% of homeowners said their home reflects who they are, compared with 46% of renters. Renters were more likely to describe their home as “just a place to live,” 57% versus 35% of homeowners. Homeowners also reported a stronger sense of neighborhood belonging, 72% versus 54% of renters.
For agents, those numbers broaden the conversation beyond equity and monthly payments. Stability, control over the space, neighborhood fit, and the ability to personalize a home are also part of how buyers evaluate ownership.
Down payments remain the biggest barrier
The satisfaction gap should not be read as a simple preference for buying. The Federal Reserve’s household well-being report, which covers 2024 data, found that renters most often cite financial constraints as the reason they rent instead of own.
The most common barrier was the down payment. Sixty-eight percent of renters said they rent because they cannot afford one. Forty-nine percent said they cannot afford the monthly mortgage payment, and 42% said they cannot qualify for a mortgage.
Rent has also moved higher. The median reported rent was $1,200 in 2024, up from $1,100 in 2023 and $1,000 in 2022, according to the Fed.
Not every renter is waiting to buy. The same report found that 58% of renters said renting is more convenient or flexible. Forty-seven percent said owning is less financially risky, 46% said renting is cheaper, and 39% said they prefer to rent.
That creates two different client conversations. A renter who wants to buy but lacks a down payment needs a different plan than a renter who values flexibility or sees ownership as too risky in the current market.
Agents should ground the data locally
The US findings fit a broader pattern. Ipsos’ global housing monitor found that 69% of homeowners across 30 countries were happy with their housing situation, compared with 47% of renters.
The gap is not only about ownership itself. Ipsos found smaller differences in countries with stronger tenant protections, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Housing quality, affordability, local supply, renter rights, and neighborhood conditions all affect how satisfied people feel.
For real estate professionals, the numbers work best as a consultative tool, not a sales script. Agents can use the data to discuss why ownership appeals to many households while still testing whether a renter has the savings, time horizon, and risk tolerance to buy.
National survey data can open the discussion, but local prices, rent trends, down payment assistance, insurance costs, taxes, inventory, and fair housing rules determine what advice is appropriate for a specific client.