A new survey from Rocket Mortgage is putting numbers behind something many originators are already hearing in the field: borrowers say they want connection, but most aren’t living it.
According to the company’s findings, nearly eight in 10 Americans say strong neighborhoods improve their quality of life, yet only about three in 10 say they know their neighbors.
“Despite the importance people place on community, many Americans aren’t forming the connections they desire,” the company said in the release.
That disconnect isn’t just social; it’s shaping how borrowers think about where they live and where they want to move next.
The Gap Between Intent And Action
The data shows a clear mismatch between what borrowers value and what they’re actually doing.
Just 17% of respondents said they actively seek interaction with neighbors, even as 68% said they’ve received help from a neighbor.
“People want more opportunities to connect, but many aren’t sure how to make it happen,” the release states.
For originators, that’s the tension: borrowers want community, but they’re not necessarily creating it — or finding it — where they are.
The survey also points to the growing importance of “third spaces” — places outside the home and office where people connect.
Eighty-one percent of respondents said those spaces are important, reinforcing that connection isn’t just about the home itself.
At the same time, those spaces aren’t always accessible, pushing more of that expectation onto the neighborhood.
“Homeownership isn’t just about the house — it’s about the community around it,” the company said.
That shift matters in a market where product and pricing alone aren’t always enough to move a borrower forward.
Digital Isn’t Solving It
Even as more of the home-search process moves online, the survey suggests that digital tools aren’t replacing real-world connections.
Only 25% of respondents said social media helps them connect with neighbors.
In other words, the platforms borrowers use every day aren’t delivering what they say they want most.
What LOs Should Be Paying Attention To
The takeaway isn’t that community suddenly outweighs rate or affordability — it doesn’t. But it is becoming part of the decision stack in a more visible way.
Borrowers are clearly telling lenders that where they live needs to feel different from where they are now.
They want connection. They’re just not finding it.
And in a market where hesitation is high, and decisions are slower, that gap — between what borrowers have and what they’re looking for — may be one of the few levers left to move them.
