Home Depot Launches Online Hub for New Homeowners

The Home Depot is addressing the needs of current and future first-time homeowners with the launch of a “Homeowners Hub” within its website.

Geared toward Millennials, the Homeowners Hub provides resources such as DIY guides, product recommendations, moving checklists, truck rental programs, design inspiration and free virtual workshops.

The virtual workshops, for example, provide consumers with expert, step-by-step guidance on projects, such as how to paint a room, replace light fixtures, install a faucet or replace a garbage disposal, per a media release from Home Depot.

In addition, a catalog of workshops teaches the fundamentals of caring for different areas of the home from HVAC and plumbing to seasonal maintenance. Homeowners can find both livestream and on-demand options, which they can access at any time for free.

The digital resource hub was created in response to a recent survey conducted by Home Depot in partnership with Morning Consult, which determined that home ownership and maintenance is one of the most stressful milestones young people face today.

The survey, which sampled recent homeowners or potential homebuyers born between 1981 and 2005, found that roughly half of respondents (53%) have worries about purchasing their first home.

Millennials deemed home maintenance (74%) and home improvement projects (68%) as the most stressful aspects of homeownership, per the release. However, young people are willing to take on projects, but many lack the skills and know-how to tackle them.

Some findings from the survey include:

• More than eight in 10 Millennials and Gen Zers are interested in doing renovation, repair, design and decor projects, yet only about a quarter of Millennials and a third of Gen Zers feel "very confident" about taking on a home improvement project.
• Millennials and Gen Zers were most comfortable with redecorating (83% and 86%, respectively), painting (about 80% for both) and routine yard work (81%).
• Well over half of respondents were most uncomfortable with electrical work, plumbing, roofing/siding and window/door projects.
• Most young people said they would turn to YouTube or other online videos (70%) to learn how to tackle DIY projects versus learning from a parent, family member or friend (61% of Gen Zers and 54% of millennials would do so).
• 90% of Millennials and 92% of Gen Z respondents said that having access to a centralized resource that provides guidance for first-time homeowners would be helpful to them.

"Our research has shown that lack of proper knowledge, tools and time were the top barriers for millennials navigating home improvement projects, which is especially stressful for a generation of current and soon-to-be first-time homeowners," Molly Battin, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at The Home Depot, said in the release. "Helping homeowners complete projects is part of our DNA, so it was a natural move to create an online resource designed to empower our customers with everything they need to confidently turn their first house into a home."