A Nextdoor survey of 1,500 U.S. adults, published with Groundworks, finds that home maintenance is nearly universal, that most of it happens only after a problem appears, and that neighbors turn to each other when it's time to call in help.
Nearly every homeowner takes care of their home. Far fewer get ahead of it.
That gap sits at the center of new research from Nextdoor's Insights team, published today in partnership with Groundworks, North America's leading foundation repair and water management company. The survey of 1,500 U.S. adults found that 96% of neighbors took on home maintenance in the past year. Yet when asked about their most recent maintenance task, 56% said they acted only after noticing something might be wrong.
Waiting carries a price. More than half of neighbors (54%) have dealt with a home issue that got worse because maintenance was delayed, with water and moisture problems the most likely to escalate (48%) and plumbing issues close behind (43%). The financial cushion is thinner than many assume: a meaningful share of neighbors say they could not comfortably cover an unexpected repair without financing.
Homeowners aren't handling this alone. Among neighbors who completed a maintenance task in the past year, 89% hired a professional for at least one project, 20% more than the general population (overall sample of respondents, representative of the US population). Higher-stakes jobs like HVAC servicing and plumbing are the ones they're most likely to hand over entirely.
How they choose that professional says a lot about how trust works in neighborhoods. A full 90% of neighbors say recommendations from other neighbors influence their choice of home service provider, and a majority prefer to hire locally owned businesses. That trust shows up in behavior on our platform: neighbors ranked Nextdoor the #1 place they go to hire maintenance help, at 45%, ahead of Google (41%) and Facebook or Instagram (37%). Among neighbors who completed a maintenance task this year, 79% used Nextdoor for help along the way, whether staying informed about local issues, finding a professional, trading recommendations, or buying and selling supplies with people down the street.
“Neighbors have always been the original trusted network for home services,” said Jacob Chavis, Customer Analytics and Insights Senior Manager at Nextdoor. “This research shows that instinct is stronger than ever, and it's why Nextdoor has become the first place people go when it's time to call a pro.”
The study takes a close look at the part of the home neighbors are most likely to ignore: the one it stands on. 57% of neighbors only check for foundation or structural issues when there are visible signs of a problem. The signs are common. 64% noticed cracks in their walls or floors in the past 12 months, and roughly three in ten reported sticking doors, musty odors, water in a basement or crawl space, or gaps between walls and floors.
The instinct to wait usually comes from optimism rather than cost: the top reason neighbors gave for skipping an inspection is that they don't believe the issue is serious (60%). But the intent to act is high. 66% say they're likely to have their home inspected or repaired by a foundation specialist in the next 12 months, 22% more than the general population, and the single strongest motivator is a free inspection or assessment.
“Through more than 100,000 home inspections each year, we've seen firsthand that many homeowners don't realize there's an issue until something forces them to pay attention,” said Matt Malone, founder and executive chairman of Groundworks. “That's why awareness and regular inspections are so important. When homeowners understand what to look for and investigate concerns early, they're better positioned to protect one of their most important investments.”
The through line of the research is that home maintenance runs on trust, and trust in neighborhoods is built person-to-person. Neighbors want proven quality, warranties, fair pricing, and providers who know their area, and they lean on each other to find them. For the millions of homeowners navigating repairs each year, the best first step is often the closest one: asking the people who live around you.
Read the full report here: https://app.letter.ai/share/56c763a1-082c-43b9-b750-b3b17fc55958
Methodology: Findings are drawn from Nextdoor's survey of 1,500 U.S. adults, fielded May 8, 2026. Platform usage figures reflect Nextdoor internal data, US, January through December 2025.