Mortgage Research Network Podcast

Welcome to the Mortgage Research Network Podcast. We bring you the latest mortgage and real estate news 3 times a week. The audio is AI generated, but content is fact-checked by me, Tim Lucas, editor of MortgageResearch.com and a former mortgage professional. And with me is Craig Berry, a mortgage originator with 25 years experience. Craig, here's something that might surprise you - in a nation obsessed with social connection, only 25% of Americans actually know their neighbors' names. But what does that say about our communities and the future of neighborly relationships?

That's such a striking disconnect, especially when you consider how much we talk about community these days. Though I have to point out there's some encouraging data hiding beneath that statistic.

Yeah, that's true. While most people don't know their neighbors' names, about 70% have either helped a neighbor or received help in the past year. It's like we're living in this paradox where we want to be good neighbors but aren't quite sure how to go about it.

Hmm... that reminds me of what Rocket's chief marketing officer said about stability being why communities thrive. The data seems to support that - 71% of homeowners report having a strong sense of community.

And speaking of stability, let's look at how Americans are actually staying put longer than ever before. Before COVID hit, homeowners were staying in their homes for an average of 13.4 years - that's HUGE compared to the five to seven years that was common just a decade ago.

Though the pandemic did shake things up a bit, right?

Oh absolutely - we saw that number drop to about 11.8 years as people fled cities or sought different living arrangements during lockdowns. But here's where it gets really interesting - this trend of longer homeownership is creating some unexpected consequences in local politics.

Well that's quite a turn - how so?

So check this out - in the 2022 midterms, homeowner voter turnout was 58.1% compared to just 36.5% for renters. That's a massive gap that shapes how local politicians approach housing policies and development decisions.

You know, that really explains why we see such strong resistance to new housing developments in established neighborhoods.

Exactly! And here's the irony - the same homeowners who might get a little teary eyed watching that Super Bowl commercial about being good neighbors are often the ones blocking new housing developments that could help solve our nationwide housing crisis.

That's quite a contradiction between the ideal and reality of neighborliness.

And what's particularly frustrating is how this opposition often lacks nuance. Like, does it really affect someone's property value if there's a well-maintained manufactured home community two miles away? Or if downtown adds some apartment buildings?

So it sounds like we need to redefine what being a "good neighbor" means in today's context?

Precisely. Being a good neighbor in 2026 might mean thinking beyond just knowing names and helping during emergencies. It could be supporting smart community growth that addresses our housing crisis while preserving what makes our neighborhoods special.

That's quite a challenge though - balancing preservation with progress.

You know what's encouraging? We're starting to see some homeowners recognize that opposing every new development project isn't necessarily in their best interest. They're beginning to understand that vibrant communities need both stability AND growth.

Looking ahead, what do you think this means for the future of American neighborhoods?

Well, I think we're at a turning point where we need to expand our definition of neighborliness to include making room for new neighbors. It's about finding that sweet spot between maintaining community stability and allowing for necessary change - because ultimately, you can't be a good neighbor if there's no place for new neighbors to live.

That's a powerful way to frame the evolution of what it means to be a good neighbor in modern America.

And maybe that's the real message we should take away - that true neighborliness isn't just about individual acts of kindness, but about supporting policies and changes that help our entire community thrive. After all, the strength of our neighborhoods depends on both the connections we build today and the opportunities we create for tomorrow. That's about all the time we have for this topic, but we go into even more detail on the site. For more, search "Super Bowl neighborliness" at Mortgage research.com. We'll see you next time on the Mortgage Research Network Podcast.