New Report Finds Homebuying Stress Surpasses Work and Family Pressure as Victor Ciardelli, Rate CEO & President, Relaunches Rate App to Help Americans Achieve a Higher Level of Overall Wellness and Peace of Mind

Released during National Stress Awareness Week, the report marks the start of Rate's wellness movement and the relaunch of the Rate App, where financial and personal wellness meet 

CHICAGO, Nov. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly seven in ten homebuyers say homeownership keeps them up at night, according to a national study conducted by leading fintech company Rate. Shared during National Stress Awareness Week, the results are now part of a newly branded report, the Stress Gap Report, revealing that stress tied to buying a home has surpassed changing jobs and getting married as a leading source of stress in America.

Based on a national survey of more than 600 homeowners and homebuyers conducted in Q4 2024, the Stress Gap Report measures how Americans experience and manage the emotional pressures of buying and owning a home. The findings show that 53% say buying a home is somewhat or much more stressful than most other major life events, such as getting married or changing jobs. Key causes of homebuying stress include fear of making a bad investment (22%), timing the move or sale (41%), dealing with paperwork (50%), and securing a mortgage (54%).

The Stress Gap Report serves as the foundation for the relaunch of the Rate App, a new wellness-driven experience that brings together financial tools, personal growth resources, and professional guidance to help people thrive in every part of life.

Unlike other wellness platforms that charge for access, The Rate App offers more than 1,300 completely free wellness videos created and led by 60+ instructors and experts, alongside personalized tools and insights that help users understand and close their "stress gap"—the space between financial security, emotional well-being, and overall wellness.

The Rate App brings wellness directly into the homebuying journey, offering expert guidance from wellness leaders, pro athletes, and mindfulness experts. Users can access free resources, including yoga, meditation, fitness, nutrition, and sleep content to reduce stress and build healthy habits while thriving financially, mentally, and physically.

"At Rate, we saw a real gap—too many people feeling the stress of homeownership without the tools to manage it," said Rate CEO Victor Ciardelli. "Buying a home is one of life's dreams and greatest accomplishments. Doing so should be celebrated and never detract from one's overall well-being and peace of mind. We built the Rate App to help Americans feel awesome about their home-buying experience while maintaining and enhancing their mental, physical, and emotional wellness."

Rate Advances Its Wellness Mission With Connected Partners and Technology

As part of the relaunch and an updated wellness-driven experience, the Rate App now integrates trusted partners and practical benefits designed to help users feel more confident, supported, and balanced in both their financial and personal wellness.

These partners enhance peace of mind through connected home, technology, and wellness experiences. ADT, ABT, Agilant, and Wildfire offer features that support security and smart-home connectivity, and Wildfire adds shopping rewards, cashback, discounts, and loyalty perks.

How Rate Helps Close the Stress Gap 

The Rate App transforms the insights from the Stress Gap Report into real-world solutions that help homebuyers manage both their money and their mindset. Built as a total-wellness platform, it combines smart technology, expert support, and personal wellness resources to bring peace of mind to every step of the homeownership journey. The report showed that only 26% of buyers used self-care tools like exercise or meditation to manage stress. Most relied on their agents and brokers for reassurance or endured the process without addressing their own peace of mind. With the Rate App, Ciardelli and team aim to better empower the consumer and put financial and self-care tools and stress relievers in the palm of a consumer's hand. 

Within the app, users can:

• Access more than 1,300 subscription-free and ad-free videos across wellness and finance, created with 60+ instructors and experts.
• Explore new sessions added weekly, from guided meditations and fitness classes to nutrition tips and mindset workshops, within dedicated in-app spaces like Yoga Yard, Nutrition Kitchen, Sleep Sanctuary, and Guru Garden.
• Benefit from partnerships with wellness and home brands to support holistic balance at no extra cost.
• Use integrated insights from the Stress Gap Report to better understand the link between financial security and emotional well-being.
• Access AI-powered loan tools that simplify applications to achieve almost instant approvals and eliminate surprises.
• Connect directly with trusted Loan Officers who provide clarity, confidence, and trust throughout the process.

Together, these features turn the Rate App into more than a financial tool—it's a personal wellness companion designed to reduce stress, build balance, and help homeowners find calm as they pursue their goals.

The Stress Gap Report draws on a national survey of over 600 U.S. adult homebuyers conducted in Q4 2024, as well as specific-market surveys in NYC, Chicago, LA, Miami, and Austin. Respondents answered questions tied to financial security, homeownership stressors, and personal wellness markers.

Rate plans to release updated Stress Gap Reports throughout 2026, establishing an ongoing dataset that highlights how financial security and personal wellness interact in America.

To download the Rate App, visit www.rate.com/rate-app.

About Rate
Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans, refinances, and home equity loans. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Recent honors and awards include: a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 by Fortune; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for First-Time Homebuyers by Forbes; a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for FHA Loans, Home Equity Loans, and Lower Credit Scores by NerdWallet; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for Digital Experience and Down Payment Assistance by Motley Fool; Chicago Agent Magazine's Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

SOURCE Rate