Almost Half of First-Time Buyers Said They Cried During the Homebuying Process

For many Americans, buying a home turns out to be much more stressful than exciting. What should be a major life milestone can quickly become emotionally draining, with down payments, house hunting, and surprise costs adding pressure along the way.

A new Zillow report found that 34% of recent homebuyers cried at some point during the purchasing process. Among first-time buyers, that figure rose to 44%, showing just how intense the experience can be for people entering the market for the first time.

Repeat buyers seemed better prepared for the strain. Just 25% said they cried, suggesting that familiarity with the process may make it easier to handle.

The results paint a less polished picture of homeownership than the happy scenes often seen in photos of buyers holding oversized keys. Behind those moments are months of searching, financial tradeoffs, and unexpected expenses that can catch even prepared shoppers off guard.

The Stress Adds Up

Crying was only one sign of the strain. Zillow said 64% of recent buyers described the process as stressful, including 24% who called it very or extremely stressful.

Younger buyers appeared to have a harder time, especially those purchasing a home for the first time. Among buyers ages 18 to 29, 29% reported high stress levels, compared with 20% of buyers in their 40s.

The emotional burden also differed by region. In the western United States, half of recent buyers said they cried during the process, the highest rate in the report.

That was followed by the Northeast at 35%, while 27% of buyers in the South reported the same experience. The report did not explain why the numbers varied, though housing prices and local market conditions can differ widely.

Costs Higher Than Expected

For many first-time buyers, one of the earliest shocks was realizing their budget would not go as far as they had expected. Zillow found that 23% overestimated how much home they could afford, compared with 14% of repeat buyers.

Even after finding a home within budget, many still ran into unexpected costs. Zillow said 91% of buyers faced at least one fee or expense they had not fully anticipated, adding another layer of pressure to an already expensive purchase.

Closing costs were especially challenging for newcomers. About 51% of first-time buyers said their final expenses were higher than expected. Those charges can include mortgage processing fees, appraisals, title services, and other required costs on top of the down payment.

When much of a buyer’s savings is already committed, even smaller charges can become difficult to absorb. Zillow’s findings underscore how financial surprises can make the process harder, particularly for people navigating these expenses for the first time.

Long Search, More Pressure

Finding the right home often took months of effort, especially for buyers trying to balance location, price, and desired features. The typical search lasted two to three months, but 17% of buyers spent at least six months looking before making a purchase.

That kind of search can mean repeated home tours, tough compromises, and plenty of time watching properties come on and off the market. For anyone hoping to move quickly, the uncertainty can make planning the next stage of life much harder.

First-time buyers also spent more time seeking professional guidance. Roughly 54% contacted several real estate agents during their search, compared with 40% of repeat buyers.

Even so, 46% of buyers submitted only one offer, according to the report. That suggests the pressure of buying a home is not limited to bidding wars, since a great deal of stress can build before an offer is even made.

First-Time Buyers Lose Ground

The report also pointed to a shift in who is managing to buy homes. First-time buyers made up 42% of recent purchases in 2026, down from 50% in 2023, while repeat owners accounted for a larger share of the market.

That matters because repeat buyers may be able to use equity from a previous home to help fund a new one. First-time buyers, by contrast, often have to save while paying rent and covering everyday expenses, making it harder to reach the amount needed to buy.

Home purchases were also frequently a shared financial decision rather than something done alone. Zillow found that 63% of buyers bought with at least one other person, highlighting how often homeownership depends on combining resources.

The findings appeared in Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Report and offer a snapshot of how financially and emotionally demanding the homebuying process can be.