The three-year homebuyer journey: Why buying and selling a home starts earlier than you think

We’ve traditionally measured the homebuying journey in weeks: the time between an accepted offer and a closing date. New research from Guild Mortgage and YouGov suggests that view may be too narrow. For many prospective buyers, especially those just entering the market, buying and selling a home doesn’t begin with a signed contract. It can begin years earlier, often quietly, long before a real estate agent or loan officer enters the picture.

That distinction matters more than it might seem. If we define the buyer journey only by the final 30 to 45 days, we may miss an earlier window to build trust through education and guidance. The numbers help show the pattern, while the open-ended responses add the buyers’ perspective. Throughout this piece, we’ve pulled direct quotes from survey respondents to show what these patterns sound like in buyers’ own words.

According to Guild Mortgage and YouGov (2026), 45 percent of prospective Gen Z buyers say they are more than two years away from purchasing a home, and another 11 percent place their timeline at one to two years out. Combined, more than half of active prospective buyers are planning well in advance of any transaction. Only 6 percent describe themselves as being within 12 months of a purchase.

This is not a generation waiting passively for the market to improve. It’s a generation doing the math early, and doing it largely on its own.

The data shows this multi-year planning window is not empty time. Respondents report already taking early steps, even when a purchase may still be years away. Nearly one-third have checked their credit score (31 percent) or researched home prices in areas they’re interested in (29 percent). Others have started saving for a down payment (22 percent) or turned to homebuying content on platforms like YouTube or TikTok (17 percent) (Guild Mortgage & YouGov, 2026).

But that early activity isn’t translating into the same level of mortgage preparation. Only 14 percent report researching how to actually get a mortgage, and just 7 percent have talked with a loan officer or gotten pre-qualified or pre-approved.

That gap is worth attention. Prospective buyers are actively preparing, but much of that preparation is happening without professional guidance or a clear structure for turning research into a plan. Nearly 45 percent of respondents say they haven’t completed any formal step at all, which suggests a large share of this group is still forming intent rather than acting on one.

That reframes where the real opportunity sits. The first meaningful conversation with a future buyer doesn’t have to be the pre-approval call. It can happen years earlier, when someone is checking their credit score for the first time and wondering what to do next.

Long timelines and self-directed research come with a cost: uncertainty. Only 9 percent of respondents describe themselves as having very little anxiety about their homebuying decision and feeling ready to commit. Meanwhile, 37 percent say they want to feel more prepared before moving forward, and 22 percent report delaying specifically because the stakes feel too high (Guild Mortgage & YouGov, 2026). Confidence in finding a suitable home is similarly low, with just 26 percent rating themselves as confident.

This tracks with what buyers say they need help with. More than half want more support understanding the entire homebuying process (55 percent) and property taxes and insurance (54 percent), while roughly half need help determining affordability (51 percent) and understanding closing costs (49 percent) (Guild Mortgage & YouGov, 2026). These aren’t niche questions. They’re the fundamentals, and buyers are telling us they don’t have confident answers.

Perhaps most telling: only 41 percent of respondents agree that loan officers add value to the mortgage process, while half remain neutral. That points to an opportunity to demonstrate value earlier in the journey. Buyers aren’t necessarily dismissing loan officers. Many may not yet have experienced how early guidance from a loan officer can help them prepare.

The trust factors respondents cite most—no hidden fees (55 percent), clear communication throughout the process (52 percent) and referrals from people they know (52 percent)—can be strengthened over time, not just during a closing cycle (Guild Mortgage & YouGov, 2026).

In practice, that means earlier, lower-pressure conversations can carry significant weight. A credit review or a plain-language conversation about affordability can help build trust well before a buyer is ready to apply for a mortgage. So can simply providing an honest answer to a question someone may have been hesitant to ask.

Prospective buyers may be further along in self-education than their readiness suggests. That can change how early conversations are framed.

Much of that research is also happening informally, often without professional guidance. That creates an opportunity for real estate and mortgage professionals to provide clear, judgment-free education well before a purchase is imminent.

Showing up during the planning phase, not just the closing phase, can help build the trust that supports future relationships.

Buying and selling a home has always been described as a milestone. The research suggests it’s more accurate to describe it as a planning window, one that can stretch for years and is shaped as much by confidence and understanding as by credit scores and interest rates. In many ways, the longest part of the homebuying journey is the part most of us never see.

That’s the opportunity. Professionals who meet buyers early in that window with useful education can build trust well before the transaction begins.

If you work with prospective buyers or sellers who may still be years from a decision, a Guild Mortgage loan officer can be a resource for your clients well before a purchase is on the calendar. Find a Guild Mortgage loan officer near you to discuss how early planning conversations can support the client relationships and pipeline you’re already building.

Guild Mortgage, & YouGov. (2026). Gen Z homebuyer research report [Research report]. Guild Mortgage. https://www.flipsnack.com/guildmortgageco/gen-z-yougov-homebuyer-research-report

Consumers may request additional information regarding the methodology or supporting data by contacting Guild Mortgage.