Photo: Getty Images
Buying a new home is an exciting and stressful process, and it’s worse depending on where you live.
HouseFresh used the TensiStrength tool to determine the most stressful cities to buy a home in the U.S., reporting that studies have shown that the stress of house hunting often beats the stress of getting married, getting divorced, having a baby, and other major life events. The report notes:
“Psychoanalyst Ronnie Greenberg calls the home “a matrix of safety”. A roof over your head, a familiar space, a payment structure that you understand (even if it’s a struggle). No matter how much you detest your apartment or how much you love your new place, moving is still a leap into the unknown. If that move also involves buying, you can add massive financial commitment to the mix of feelings you’re going through.”
HouseFresh found that the average stress level for home-buyers in the U.S. is 47.3%, and the most stressful city to buy a house in Illinois far exceeds that: Lincolnshire comes in at 62.5%, according to HouseFresh. In fact, two Illinois cities stand out among the most stressful cities to buy a house nationwide: Lincolnshire, and Wheaton, at 61.5%.
See the full report — including the least stressful cities to buy a house, tips to minimize stress, and more — here.