2025 Data: Why Is Selling a Home So Stressful?

Almost All Homeowners Have Selling Fears | What’s Holding Back Non-Sellers | Mixed Feelings on Real Estate Agents | More Than Just Money to Many Sellers | Selling With a Mortgage vs. Without | Methodology | FAQ

Moving is a momentous, life-changing event for most homeowners. It signals the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, whether it’s across town, in another state, or on the other side of the world. 

Before they can close the book on their current home, they need to take care of one necessary, but sometimes unpleasant, part of homeownership: selling their property. 

Although some in hot markets or with ultra-desirable homes may find it relatively easy to sell, others face a complex mix of worries, fears, and both negative and positive feelings as they manage the challenges of preparing their properties and navigating the sale process. 

The combination of emotions they experience depends on many factors, including the condition of their home, whether they have a mortgage, and even who the new buyer is or what they plan to do with the property. 

Clever Real Estate surveyed 1,000 American homeowners and found an overwhelming 88% admit to having fears about selling their home, with more than 1 in 8 (13%) saying nothing could make them feel confident about selling.

Barely 1 in 5 homeowners (22%) plan to sell in the next five years, with 91% of those who don’t expect to sell saying there are things holding them back, ranging from the hassles of packing and moving to wanting to keep their current mortgage rate and finding a new home they can afford.

Nearly 9 in 10 Homeowners Have Fears About Selling

Among the complicated mix of emotions that come with selling a home, there’s one that’s common among nearly every owner: fear. The vast majority (88%) admit to fears about selling their homes, while almost three-quarters (71%) say they have financial concerns about selling. 

The stress of selling is the most common fear (42%), followed by the costs of selling, such as repairs and closing costs (40%). About a third are worried about not being able to afford a different home (32%) or not being able to sell for enough money (32%). Another near-third of those with mortgages (30%) fear losing their current interest rate. Meanwhile, nearly 1 in 3 homeowners (29%) fear the emotional toll of leaving their home. 

Of course, it’s natural for homeowners to anticipate what might happen when their properties finally hit the market. Although some might imagine big profits, many spend their time dwelling on potential problems. 

The most concerning scenario, which 85% of homeowners fear, is that they will feel pressured to accept a lowball offer on their property. More than half (54%) say they’re very concerned about this possibility, at least 2x more than the number of people who are very concerned about any other scenario.

Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters (72%) are concerned they will have to spend more on repairs or staging than expected, with homeowners who have mortgages (76%) more likely to feel this way than those without (68%). A similar number are worried the buyer of their home will insist on lots of concessions (72%) or will back out of the deal at the last minute (70%). 

Getting the price right is also a common concern. Nearly half of homeowners (44%) are afraid they’ll lose money when they sell because they priced their homes too low. Roughly 1 in 3 (33%) would be upset if their home sold for a great price but they found out the buyer flipped it and sold it for an even higher price. This includes 37% of women but just 28% of men. 

Almost half of homeowners (45%) believe accepting an offer below their desired asking price would cause them financial hardship, including a majority of those with a mortgage (52%). 

On the other hand, just 6% of those who plan to sell at some point in the future say their primary financial concern with selling is getting enough to pay off their mortgage, suggesting homeowners’ concerns may be more linked to the steep price of a new place to live rather than fulfilling their obligations on their current one. 

Repairs, Updates, and Home Prep Are the Most Difficult Parts of Selling, According to Owners

After years of loving use, many homes aren’t exactly in tip-top shape by the time it comes to sell. Unfortunately, making the necessary fixes, updates, and other preparations is a process many homeowners dread for a variety of reasons. 

Preparing the home for sale is the most difficult part of selling, according to 1 in 5 homeowners (20%). The cost of repairs and renovations is also the top financial concern of selling, picked by almost a third of owners (31%). That’s double the No. 2 concern, paying for temporary housing or moving costs (15%).

As stressful and expensive as it may be, many homeowners don’t feel they have much of a choice. Nearly half (46%) are concerned that not making repairs or renovations might prevent their home from selling. 

A majority (55%) would even consider selling to a cash-buying company or investor, accepting the noteworthy tradeoffs to avoid some of the challenges of selling a home. Although these companies offer benefits such as no open houses, no repairs, and a faster closing, they typically offer significantly less than what the properly prepared home might fetch on the open market. 

While over a quarter of homeowners (27%) believe buyers will love everything about their home, almost three-quarters (73%) worry that buyers won’t like certain aspects.

There’s not much would-be sellers can easily do about some common things they fear buyers won’t like, such as their home’s age (37%), size (23%), or layout (19%). However, a quarter (26%) are also concerned about their home’s condition, and more than 1 in 7 (15%) think buyers may judge their home decor or painting.

Many sellers seem to be just as afraid of what they don’t know about their home. A majority of homeowners (58%) worry a home inspection carried out as part of the sale will uncover problems with their property. 

Their exact fears are as diverse as the homes they’re selling. Issues with windows or doors are the most common concern (18%), although mold and water damage (17%), roof problems (15%), plumbing issues (14%), and electrical repairs (13%) are all close behind.  

More than 1 in 8 (13%) fear an inspection will turn up major structural damage, such as foundation cracks or sinking, a highly complex and expensive problem that could scuttle many deals. 

Notably, only 46% of condo or townhouse owners are worried about serious problems being revealed in an inspection, a sign of the benefits these lower-maintenance units can provide thanks to shared infrastructure, such as roofs and foundations. 

Both Too-Fast and Too-Slow Sales Worry Potential Sellers

Timing is a critical factor for many homeowners. They’re roughly evenly split when asked to choose between a buyer who’d pay asking price but can’t close on the owner’s preferred timeline (51%) and a buyer they’d be excited about but who offered slightly below asking price (49%). 

Many homeowners apparently prefer to be cautious with their prized properties. Only about 1 in 8 (12%) regret not selling sooner, even with the memories of the hot market of 2020-2022 relatively fresh.  

However, part of it may come down to a lack of vision for what’s next. Almost two-thirds (62%) say they are hesitant to sell because they're unsure where they would move. 

More than half (55%) also worry about having to move quickly after selling. At the same time, 46% are afraid their home will sit on the market too long, a recognition of the careful needle sellers need to thread for a hassle-free move.  

Almost All Homeowners Without Near-Term Selling Plans Have Something Holding Them Back

If parts of the country where home inventory is still below pre-pandemic levels are hoping for a flood of sellers to hit the market, they shouldn’t hold their breath. Just 1 in 5 homeowners (22%) expect to put their properties up for sale before 2030, compared to over a third (38%) who say they never plan to sell.  

The latter number includes 44% of boomer homeowners who never plan to sell, which is in line with the 54% who said the same in Clever’s baby boomer homeownership study. That’s compared to barely a quarter of younger generations, such as Gen X (27%) and millennials (28%), who feel this way.

Among homeowners who don’t plan to sell in the next five years, almost all (91%) say something is holding them back from doing so. 

The most common reasons are not wanting to leave their current neighborhood (34%) or not wanting to deal with packing and moving (30%). However, around 1 in 4 don’t know where they’d move (27%) or are worried about finding a new home they could afford (24%).

Only 10% are putting off selling because they’re worried they’ll regret it or not make enough profit. At the same time, financial concerns do play a role in other ways. Nearly 1 in 4 homeowners who currently have mortgages (23%) say they’re held back by worries over losing their current interest rate. 

A closer look at their rates reveals why: Almost half of those with a mortgage (47%) locked in record-low interest rates under 4%, while nearly 1 in 5 (19%) were lucky enough to score rock-bottom rates of less than 3%. Just 18% have mortgages with rates over 6%, where they’re expected to remain throughout 2025. 

With all this in mind, over a third (35%) say they would speed up their sale if the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates, which would result in lower mortgage rates. This is another piece of evidence in favor of the “lock-in effect,” which suggests many homeowners are reluctant to sell unless absolutely necessary because they’d be forced to take on a significantly higher interest rate on their new property. 

Recessions, Pandemics, and Natural Disasters Would Slow Down Sale Plans for Many

Although most homeowners likely feel sure about their plans and timeline for selling, they’re by no means set in stone. A major economic downturn or recession would make the largest number of homeowners slow down their sale timeline, with more than 1 in 4 saying so (29%). Another quarter would put on the brakes if there were another pandemic (24%) or a significant natural disaster in their area (23%).

Owners considering a sale are also keeping an eye on mortgage rates. About 1 in 4 (23%) would slow down their plans to sell if the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, which would mortgage rates to rise.

However, plenty of events around the world and close to home don’t seem to faze owners with plans to sell. Only 1 in 9 (11%) would slow down if the U.S. became directly involved in foreign conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine or the Israel-Palestine conflicts. Meanwhile, fewer than 1 in 6 (15%) would hold on longer if a major employer was coming to town. 

On the flip side, nearly half (43%) would speed up their sale if their home were hit with a significant property tax increase, and 33% would do the same if their home insurance costs went up suddenly. 

Community changes that only indirectly affect owners’ bottom lines are also major factors. Approximately 39% would move more quickly if there were an increase in nonviolent crime in their area. Around a third would move faster in response to the construction of a new affordable housing development nearby (35%) or a significant change to local zoning (32%), such as one that would make it easier to build apartments or multi-unit homes in previously single-family neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, fewer than 1 in 5 would move faster if their local or state government adopted policies or elected politicians they strongly disagree with (18%) or if a major local employer closed (16%).

Although it might be easy to point to the economy, world affairs, and financial concerns as the motivation for the majority of home sales, it’s critical to remember there are human emotions involved, too. More than 1 in 7 homeowners (15%) have considered selling their home just to escape a problematic neighbor.

Nearly Half Look to Real Estate Agents for Confidence, but Three-Quarters Worry About Hiring One

For some homeowners, the anxiety and stress of the home-sale process is simply too much to bear. More than 1 in 8 (13%) say there’s nothing that would make them feel confident about selling their homes.

However, for the rest, there are a few common things that would ease their worries. Almost half say they’d be more confident selling if they had a home purchase already lined up (45%) or received a guaranteed or cash offer on their home (44%). Over a third also say they’d be more confident if they understood all selling costs upfront (37%) or had assistance with preparing their home for sale, such as help with inspections or renovations (36%).

Meanwhile, 43% say the guidance of a trusted agent would also improve their confidence.

That would explain why, of those who plan to sell in the next five years, over three-quarters (80%) expect to use a traditional real estate agent or discount agent to do so. 

In contrast, only 1 in 8 (12%) plan to go it alone with a for sale by owner deal or a flat-fee MLS service, the latter of which offers some of the marketing and listing services available to agents without having to actually hire one. 

An overwhelming percentage of those who are selling without an agent (84%) have concerns about the process, the most common of which is that buyers will try to take advantage of them (35%). Slightly more than 1 in 4 (28%) are concerned about lacking support and guidance through their home sale, the same percentage as those worried about paperwork and legal requirements (28%).  

Still, 79% of those who plan to use real estate agents say they have worries about finding and hiring one, and almost half (44%) worry they could be scammed by an untrustworthy agent. 

The most frequently cited worry is that an agent will charge too high of a commission rate (38%). Meanwhile, about a third worry their agent won’t put enough time into their home sale (33%), will pressure them into decisions they’re not comfortable with (32%), or care more about their profit than the seller’s best interests (31%).

Many Homeowners Wouldn’t Fire Agents for Rudeness, Inappropriate Comments, Stealing

Once they’ve done the work to find an agent, homeowners are apparently fairly reluctant to get rid of them, even in extreme cases.

A majority of sellers wouldn’t fire their agents for unprofessional behavior, such as being rude to potential buyers or other agents (51%), being consistently late to meetings or appointments (62%), or wanting to “cover-up” discovered problems with the home (62%), the last of which could expose sellers to potential legal trouble in many states. 

Nearly three-quarters (71%) wouldn’t fire an agent who hits on them, and around two-thirds (63%) would keep an agent who made inappropriate jokes or comments. Even more notable, almost half (45%) would continue to work with an agent who lied about having a real estate license, and 43% wouldn’t even fire their agent if they caught the agent stealing from them.

On the other hand, nearly 1 in 5 (18%) are willing to fire an agent simply because their home isn’t selling as fast as the agent promised, 32% would let an agent go for revealing too much information to potential buyers, and 56% would fire an agent who pressures them to accept low offers or rushes the selling process.

Altogether, it paints a picture of sellers who will tolerate a wide variety of bad personal and professional behavior from their agents — as long as it doesn’t affect the sellers’ bottom lines. 

Would-Be Sellers Consider More Than Just Their Bottom Line

Most home sales are pretty standard. Owners sell to a buyer they don’t know, who then moves in or rents out the property. However, there are plenty of other possibilities out there for homeowners to consider — and worry about. 

Even though they seem mainly motivated by getting the best price for their home, a significant number of homeowners seem inclined to protect their current properties. A third (33%) would turn down a significantly higher offer if they knew the would-be buyer would knock down or completely renovate their home.

Although it’s likely that most home sales result from careful thought and rational planning by owners, it’s apparent that’s not always the case. Roughly 40% wouldn't go through with a sale if they didn't like the buyer, even if the offer was much more than they expected.

Over half (53%) would take an offer below their asking price to avoid selling to a buyer they felt was very rude. This includes 58% of women but just 47% of men. 

Meanwhile, nearly a third of homeowners (31%) would take a below-asking-price offer over selling their home to their ex at asking price, while more than 1 in 8 (13%) would take their home off the market if they learned their ex was considering buying it. 

The country’s fraught political situation even has some homeowners mad enough to change their home-selling strategy. More than 1 in 4 (27%) would accept a slightly below-asking-price offer rather than sell to someone they disagree with politically.

Sadness, Stress, Loss, and Relief: Troubled Emotions Involving Home Sales

Selling a home brings up a complex mix of emotions for homeowners — few of them good. 

Nearly half of homeowners say they feel sad about leaving (45%) or stressed about the logistics of moving (44%), while a third (33%) feel a sense of loss, even if they acknowledge selling is a good decision. Another third (35%) will simply be relieved to be done with the selling process.

Nearly equal amounts feel anxious about the unknowns related to selling (25%) or eager for a fresh start (23%). 

Overall, 40% of owners expressed mixed feelings about selling, saying they felt both positive and negative emotions. However, 35% have only negative feelings about their potential sale, more than 2x the number who feel only positive things (15%). More female homeowners (40%) expressed only negative emotions about the prospect of selling their homes than male homeowners (30%). 

That gender split persists in other ways, too. While a third of men (33%) worry they’ll regret selling their homes because of emotional and sentimental issues, 41% of women feel this way. 

About 89% of those considering a future sale admit they’ll miss something about their home when they eventually sell, with nearly half (45%) saying it’ll be the peace and quiet of their area. A third (34%) will miss memories of past events in the home, and over a quarter (28%) expect to miss their yard or outdoor space. 

Owners Without Mortgages Are More Confident, Financially Secure

Owning a property free and clear without the burden of a monthly mortgage payment means avoiding what’s likely the biggest expense for most homeowners. As might be expected, those without mortgages tend to be more confident about the housing market than those with one. 

Only 43% of those who own their homes without a mortgage are concerned that the current housing market isn't favorable for sellers, 10 percentage points less than those with mortgages (53%). Almost two-thirds of those without mortgages (61%) feel prepared to handle negotiations with buyers, compared to 53% of those who have one. 

Although 57% of owners with mortgages are concerned that legal paperwork and the closing process will overwhelm them, just 49% of mortgage-free homeowners believe this. 

All of this likely comes down to their overall financial situation, as more than half of mortgage holders (52%) say accepting an offer below their desired asking price would cause them financial hardship, 13 percentage points more than homeowners without mortgages (39%). Women (49%) are also substantially more likely than men (38%) to feel this way. 

Still, the differences persist even in other areas. Fewer than 1 in 4 homeowners without mortgages (23%) worry their children, partner, or friends will resist their choice to sell, while 36% of mortgaged homeowners are concerned about this issue, more than 1.5x as many.  

Methodology

Clever Real Estate surveyed 1,000 American homeowners on their home-selling fears, concerns, and plans to sell. The survey was conducted from Dec. 20 to 22, 2024. The margin of error is +/- 3.5%.

About Clever

Since 2017, Clever Real Estate has been on a mission to make selling or buying a home easier and more affordable for everyone. Twelve million annual readers rely on Clever's library of educational content and data-driven research to make smarter real estate decisions, and to date, Clever has helped consumers save more than $180 million on Realtor fees. Clever's research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more. 

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