Survey: 41% of Homeowners Say Selling is More Stressful Than Buying

Methodology

To do so, we surveyed 1,001 homeowners in October 2025 about their experiences selling and/or their opinions on the current housing market and how it relates to selling. 50% were men, 49% women, and 1% were nonbinary, and ages ranged from 20-75 with an average age of 47.

56% found selling their homes to be an overwhelming experience

Selling a home is a deeply personal, frequently overwhelming experience–and one not many talk about. 

According to our survey statistics, 41% of homeowners say selling a home is more difficult than buying one, while another 37% found both equally challenging. Only 22% said buying was harder. 

A full 90% of homeowners surveyed found the selling process stressful. Half described it as “somewhat stressful,” while 40% said it was “very stressful.” More than half—53%—said the experience was emotional, and 56% called the process overwhelming. Even among experienced homeowners, 1 in 6 admitted they didn’t understand the selling process before listing their home. In fact, 74% said they understand buying a home better than selling one, pointing to a gap in education and expectations.

When it came to specific pain points, 27% of respondent homeowners identified home repairs as the hardest part of the sale, followed closely by negotiations at 24% and aesthetic preparations at 18%. Closing and inspections also posed challenges for some. One-third of sellers said they wish they’d had a better understanding of the hidden costs tied to selling and closing. Others wanted more insight into how to prepare their homes for listing and how to handle negotiations effectively.

Selling a home by the numbers

Overall, sellers rated their experience 3 out of 5 stars. While 87% were happy with their listing agent, not everyone was satisfied with the results: 12% regretted selling, and 18% were unhappy with the final sale price. Moving out topped the list of least convenient aspects, followed by last-minute showings, difficult buyer demands, the negotiation process, and home preparation.

Preparing a home for sale was no small task. On average, it took four months to complete a sale, with most homeowners surveyed spending between one and three months getting their homes market-ready. About 69% made repairs or upgrades as part of the selling process. Of those, more than half completed improvements before listing, 12% made changes during negotiations, and 32% did both. However, many sellers were caught off guard—over one in three didn’t budget for any of these expenses. The average spend on pre-sale repairs and upgrades reached $5,587. These upgrades were driven largely by real estate agent recommendations (40%) and the desire to increase sale price (38%), with 23% making changes based on buyer requests. Common upgrades included interior décor changes, curb appeal enhancements, landscaping, decluttering, and plumbing fixes. Yet fewer than 10% invested in professional home staging, even though 17% of buyers said last-minute improvements influenced their decision to purchase.

How do surveyed homeowners feel about the housing market?

The current real estate market continues to favor sellers—63% of homeowners surveyed say it's easier to sell than buy right now, and 54% expect this trend to continue over the next year. Still, 24% of active sellers have already lowered their asking price. Some homeowners reported overhearing buyer conversations during showings; while 23% of comments were positive, 6% were negative. About 15% of buyers successfully negotiated lower prices instead of requesting repairs, and 14% of sellers used home warranties as added incentives to close deals.

Buyer behavior is also shifting. The majority of buyers, 64%,prefer touring empty homes, while only 17% favor staged spaces and 18% are comfortable with lived-in properties. Just 12% of buyers reported purchasing a staged home, suggesting that visual clarity and neutrality matter more than expensive styling. That said, last-minute improvements still matter: nearly one in five buyers said such changes persuaded them to make an offer.

Selling or Buying: We’re Here to Help

Even in a seller’s market, hidden costs, repair demands, and buyer behaviors can disrupt a smooth transaction. The data makes one thing clear: the more a homeowner knows about the process, the more empowered they’ll be to navigate it successfully and with less stress.

Selling or buying can be stressful, but a home warranty can help ease those stresses  and sweeten the deal for prospective buyers. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is selling a home more stressful than buying?

While everyone’s experience is their own, our survey data here reflects that over 2 in 5 current homeowners surveyed believe selling is more stressful than buying; 37% said they were equally difficulty, and only 22% said buying was the hardest process.

What is the most stressful part of selling a home?

Our survey data shows that most homeowners surveyed consider the repair/upgrade process the most stressful, followed by negotiations. Homeowners also cited moving out as one of the least convenient aspects of selling.

When is the least stressful time to sell a house?

If you’re concerned about competition in the area, consider listing your home in the fall or winter to minimize competition or an endless string of prospective buyers; the tradeoff, of course, is a likely lower price. If you’re more concerned about maximizing your selling price, consider listing in the spring or summer during peak buying season.

How can you reduce the stress of selling a home?

Given that home repairs are such a large part of the stresses of selling, we recommend maintaining a robust regular maintenance routine to keep your home systems and appliances in tip top shape. If you’re looking for budget protection, consider an AHS plan to help protect your home systems and appliances. 

Media & Fair Use

For all media inquiries, reach out to media@digitalthirdcoast.net

When using this data and research, please attribute by linking to this study and citing AHS.com.

AHS assumes no responsibility, and specifically disclaims all liability, for your use of any and all information contained herein.