Home maintenance on Nextdoor: 2026 insights for advertisers
Taking care of a home is a non-stop responsibility, and on Nextdoor, local homeowners are actively navigating the balance between weekend DIY projects and hiring local professionals.
New research from Nextdoor's May 2026 Home Maintenance Insights Report profiles an audience deeply invested in upkeeping their properties. For home service providers, local contractors, and insurance brands, these findings highlight a high-value community looking for trusted, expert help to protect their biggest investments.
The reactive homeowner
Home maintenance is a nearly universal experience for the Nextdoor community. An incredible 96% of neighbors report taking on at least one home maintenance task over the past year. Routine upkeep like lawn care, HVAC servicing, and pest control dominate seasonal household checklists.
However, the data reveals that most neighbors tend to look for help reactively rather than preventatively:
- 56% of neighbors took action only after noticing that something might be wrong with their home
- Conversely, 34% acted proactively before any signs of a problem surfaced, 17% more likely than the general population.
- Deferring these tasks comes with a steep cost — 54% of neighbors admit they have dealt with a home issue that ultimately worsened due to delayed maintenance
Implication for advertisers: Because the majority of homeowners delay action until they spot a symptom, service brands should pivot their creative towards visible warning signs. Running educational ad copy that highlights what a minor leak or small exterior crack can turn into can capture reactive consumers right as they begin looking for a solution.
When neighbors lean on professionals
While neighbors like to roll up their sleeves for minor upkeep, certain heavy-duty segments are left almost entirely to the experts. Neighbors are highly likely to hand off complex mechanical and structural utilities to verified professionals:
- 67% of neighbors leave HVAC servicing entirely to a professional, while only 13% attempt it DIY
- 52% of neighbors hire a professional outright for plumbing maintenance
- 50% of neighbors trust professional teams for roof or siding repairs
Overall, 89% of neighbors who handled a maintenance task in the past year hired a professional for at least one project, making them 20% more likely than the general population to bring in outside help. When an issue is uncovered, neighbors don't wait around to make the call. 41% of neighbors reach out to a professional immediately, and another 39% make contact within 1 to 2 weeks.
Implication for advertisers: When an emergency strikes, your brand needs to be immediately accessible. Service providers should position themselves as ready to help the moment a problem is identified, leading with quick response times, simple booking options, and clear paths to action in their creative.
Local influence and community discovery
When it comes to inviting a service provider into their home, neighbors look past flashy advertisements and rely heavily on neighborhood trust. Word-of-mouth and localized reputation are the ultimate deciding factors on whether a contractor gets hired.
- 90% of neighbors state that recommendations from fellow neighbors influence how they choose home service providers
- 36% say neighbor recommendations influence their decisions "a great deal," while 54% say they do "a fair amount"
This reliance on community trust makes Nextdoor the go-to resource to hire maintenance help among neighbors (45%), ranking above Google (41%), Facebook/Instagram (37%), and Yelp (27%). Neighbors prefer keeping their spending within the local economy, with 60% of neighbors preferring locally owned business.
Implication for advertisers: For local businesses, your community roots are a massive competitive advantage. Ensure your ad copy prominently highlights that you are local or family-owned, and incorporate trust-building elements like customer testimonials, neighbor referrals, and review callouts to tap into the platform's high-intent environment.
Foundation and structural concerns: A key area for education
Structural integrity is a significant focal point for homeowners. While 23% of neighbors have addressed a foundation or structural issue in the last 12 months, 57% of neighbors only check on these issues when there are visible signs of trouble. Over the past year, many neighbors have noticed signs of potential damage, including cracks in various places (64%), sticking doors or windows (31%), and moisture issues (30%).
The knowledge gap widens when looking at how neighbors view home insurance:
- 87% of neighbors feel generally confident they know what their insurance policy covers, only about a third feel very confident
- 60% of neighbors don't schedule foundation evaluations because they don't believe the issue is serious
- 58% of neighbors state they would gladly accept a free inspection or assessment
Implication for advertisers: Foundation specialists can break through customer hesitation by lowering the friction to enter the funnel. Creative should feature visible indicators of structural or foundational issues and a CTA that leads with "Schedule a foundation inspection," rather than a hard sales pitch. Insurance brands can also leverage this by publishing localized, straightforward checklists that help neighbors understand exactly what coverage gaps exist for long-term or gradual property wear.
Gutter maintenance and the protection opportunity
Gutters are often out of sight, out of mind, with 30% of neighbors admitting they only clean them when there is an active problem and only 37% of neighbors having cleaned them in the last 12 months. The primary concern for neighbors when it comes to clogged gutter is water damage to the roof or siding (37%), followed by basement or foundation issues (20%), which is 33% more than the general population.
Neighbors are highly receptive to long-term hardware solutions:
- 53% of neighbors already own a gutter protection system, 43% more than the general population
- For the remaining homeowners who haven't adopted a system, the primary hurdles are cost concerns (37%), thinking it isn't necessary (31%), or a lack of understanding how they work (20%)
- 41% of neighbors say they would be more likely to install gutter protection if there was proof it prevents damage
Implication for advertisers: Gutter guard and exterior home brands should utilize visual, proof-heavy ad formats. Before-and-after photo carousels or video demonstrations showing how leaf-protection systems prevent roof and foundation rot directly solve the consumer's top barriers to purchase.
Home maintenance advertising playbook: how to activate on Nextdoor
Bringing it all together, here’s how to turn these insights into action:
1. Move the needle on preventative care
Since 56% of neighbors wait for a visible problem, craft your messaging around symptom awareness. Help neighbors catch issues early by running localized campaigns that address seasonal vulnerabilities before they turn into costly emergency repairs.
2. Lead with low-friction trust entry points
The number one barrier to tackling major home inspections is a lack of perceived urgency. Break through this by leveraging a free, no-obligation inspection or assessment — a tactic that 58% of neighbors say would immediately motivate them to take action.
3. Optimize for the hyper-local advantage
Neighbors show an overwhelming 60% preference for locally owned providers. Even if you are a national brand, restructure your creative with local framing, neighboring imagery, and regional service teams to blend natively into Nextdoor's community context.
4. Introduce the modern hybrid approach
Neighbors are highly receptive to technology-assisted support. In fact, they are 51% more likely than the general population to trust a hybrid AI and professional approach when diagnosing serious home issues. Highlight virtual assessments, smart diagnostics, or digital troubleshooting features alongside your trusted expert on-site support to build immediate modern credibility.
5. Highlight flexible financing solutions
Out-of-pocket home expenses create clear financial strain, with unexpected repairs presenting major hurdles. Because cost is the top factor considered when choosing a pro (64%), home service brands can win immediate market share by prominently featuring clear pricing, accepted payment plans, or flexible financing options directly in their ad creative.
Source: Nextdoor Survey, US (05/2026)
