Collins, the best-selling author of Pathfinders and The Simple Path to Wealth, said the reasoning is simple: Buying a home "dramtically inflate[s]" your cost of living. While your mortgage payment and rent payment may be similar on paper, owning a home ends up costing more in the long run and comes with unexpected expenses-often referred to as the "hidden costs" of homeownership, like insurance, repairs, and updates.
With homes lingering on the market for a median of 63 days in October 2025 almost two weeks longer than the same month in 2023 buyers are entering transactions with more caution, clarity and financial preparation. As a result, 37% of 2025 buyers reported having no regrets at all, up from 31% two years earlier. As the market has shifted from a fast-paced sellers' market to one that gives buyers more breathing room, we're seeing buyer regret trend down, said Laura Eddy, Realtor.com's vice president of research and insights. Today's buyers are generally more qualified, taking extra time to weigh their options and make confident decisions factors that are helping reduce second-guessing after purchase. And for many, that means having even more to feel thankful for this season.
Here is yet another way to look at the financial challenges of California homeownership: Recurring costs eat up more than half of household income for roughly 1 in 6 owners statewide. My trusty spreadsheet identified this affordability challenge by analyzing 2024 Census Bureau housing data for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. These latest figures detail swings in who owns their residence, how much they pay a month, and how many owner households are financially swamped by expenses. That's when mortgage payments - one-third of Californians don't have a home loan - plus items such as insurance, utilities and association dues top 50% of an owner's income.
