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Today's homebuyer isn't just navigating a difficult market, they're navigating it under pressure. Rising costs, tight timelines and an often-confusing process are reshaping how borrowers think, feel and make decisions. At the same time, their expectations of lenders are evolving fast.
The 2026 ServiceLink State of Homebuying Report reveals a borrower who is financially stretched, emotionally stressed and increasingly forced to compromise yet still highly motivated to achieve homeownership. These buyers are looking for a better experience: one that is simple, transparent and digitally efficient, without losing the human guidance they trust.
At the same time, loan officers are seeing a different side of the story highlighting a critical gap in borrower understanding that lenders can't afford to ignore.
Join National Mortgage News on May 19th at 2 PM ET as Dave Howard of ServiceLink sits down with Janet King to unpack what today's data reveals about borrower behavior and what it means for your strategy. In this session, you'll learn:
- How financial pressure is reshaping buyer behavior, compromises and decision-making
- The aspects of the homebuying process causing borrowers the most stress and where knowledge gaps remain
- How to close the expectation gap with clearer communication and transparency
- What borrowers really want from digital tools and where human interaction matters most
- How growing home equity creates new opportunities to strengthen borrower relationships
Walk away with practical insights to better understand today's homebuyer mindset and deliver a more seamless, supportive and confidence-building borrower experience.
