Nearly 1 in 3 U.S. homeowners are plotting an exit strategy over the next five years, with younger generations leading the charge for larger spaces and new neighborhoods, according to a recent industry report from Hippo, a California-based home insurance company.

According to a survey of 1,619 homeowners, 32% plan to relocate by 2030, with a strong undercurrent of buyer’s remorse among these prospective movers. Two-thirds of homeowners planning to move express regret over their current home purchase, the survey found, compared to just a third of those who plan to stay put.

For many, the desire to leave is primarily driven by higher-than-expected maintenance costs and unexpected property issues that have strained both their finances and quality of life, including relationships and mental health.

The Hippo data highlights a distinct generational divide in relocation plans. Younger demographics are significantly more likely to seek a move: 47% of Generation Z homeowners (ages 18 to 28) and 43% of millennials (ages 29 to 44) expect to move within the next half-decade.

In contrast, only 30% of Gen X (ages 45 to 60) and 18% of baby boomers (ages 61 to 79) plan to do the same. The primary motivators for these planned moves are the need for a larger home or more space (27%) and the desire to live in a different city or neighborhood (23%).

While the need for more space is a traditional driver of real estate activity, the sheer volume of regret points to a challenging period for homeownership. The report indicates that 85% of homeowners planning a move say unexpected home issues — such as utility bill fluctuations and surprise repairs — have negatively affected their financial stability.

Specifically, 27% of respondents noted they faced more issues than anticipated, and 25% stated that routine maintenance requires more effort than they initially planned. These unexpected challenges have had tangible impacts beyond the wallet, with 30% of moving homeowners reporting that home issues negatively impacted their mental health.

Homeowner dissatisfaction is particularly pronounced in specific regions. On the West Coast, where residents already grapple with steep housing costs, buyer regret peaks at 51%, the highest of any U.S. region.

The report attributes this localized frustration to a combination of high prices and frequent property threats like water damage and wildfires, which complicate and inflate the cost of home insurance.

The high volume of regret marks a sharp shift from late 2025, when Hippo’s data revealed homebuyer remorse was declining as a slower-paced market gave them more breathing room to weigh their options.