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Buying a home is supposed to be a dream come true — but for millions of Americans, the road to homeownership comes with a side of ugly crying.
More than one in three recent homebuyers, or 34%, admitted to shedding tears during the process, according to Zillow’s 2026 Consumer Housing Trends Report.
And for first-time buyers, the American dream apparently requires a box of tissues.
A whopping 44% of those purchasing their first home reported crying at some point, compared with just 25% of repeat buyers — making newbies nearly twice as likely to turn on the waterworks.
But the tears were just the tip of the emotional iceberg.
Nearly two-thirds of buyers, or 64%, described the experience as stressful, including 24% who said it was very or extremely stressful.
Younger buyers appeared to have an especially rough time, with 29% of those ages 18 to 29 reporting high levels of stress, compared with 20% of buyers in their 40s.
And geography played a surprisingly big role in who needed the most tissues.
In the West, a staggering half of recent homebuyers admitted to crying during their purchase — the highest share of any region.
Northeastern buyers weren’t exactly keeping a stiff upper lip, either, with 35% reporting tears.
Southerners, meanwhile, appeared to keep their composure a little better, with just 27% admitting to a homebuying breakdown.
The emotional toll comes as aspiring homeowners grapple with the financial realities of getting a foot on the property ladder.
Nearly one in four first-time buyers, or 23%, said they initially overestimated how much home they could afford, compared with just 14% of repeat buyers.
And scraping together the cash is no small feat. A separate study found that New Yorkers need an estimated three years and eight months to save for a typical 15% down payment — nearly a year longer than the national average.
And the house hunt itself can feel like a marathon.
Some 17% of buyers spent at least six months searching for their home, turning what might have started as an exciting weekend of open houses into a months-long endurance test.
First-timers also had more homework to do.
More than half, or 54%, contacted multiple real estate agents during their search, compared with 40% of repeat buyers.
Even so, the process wasn’t necessarily an endless bidding war for everyone.
In fact, 46% of buyers submitted exactly one offer, suggesting that the emotional roller coaster can begin long before a buyer finds themselves competing for a property.
The report also revealed that first-time buyers accounted for 42% of all recent purchasers, down from 50% in 2023 — another sign of the challenges facing Americans trying to break into homeownership.
Some younger Americans are reconsidering the milestone altogether. A separate survey found that Gen Z renters increasingly view investing as a greater marker of success than homeownership, as steep housing costs reshape their financial priorities.
And for those who did manage to cross the finish line, buying a home was often a team effort, with 63% purchasing alongside someone else.
The findings offer a reality check on the picture-perfect version of homeownership often celebrated on social media, where smiling buyers pose with oversized keys in front of their new digs.