U.S. Homeowners Express Continued Pessimism About Economy and Housing Market, Finds Unlock Technologies Survey

Personal finances rank as greatest source of stress for 49% of homeowners

TEMPE, Ariz., Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. homeowners remain uncertain and pessimistic about the economy, the housing market and their own financial situation, with 49% ranking personal finances as the greatest source of stress in their lives.

According to a new survey* from Unlock Technologies, most homeowners feel that the Federal Reserve's recent rate drop is too little, too late. "Even though this is expected to be the first of several rate drops, the trickledown effect is not motivating homeowners to take significant action, whether to move, refinance, pay off debt or take on more debt," says Michael Micheletti, chief marketing officer at Unlock. "They're operating from a place of worry, with most anticipating having to spend even more in 2026 on household expenses and many working with little to no emergency fund." 

Homeowners feel worse off financially 
More than half (54%) of homeowners say they are feeling uncertain or pessimistic about the U.S. economy right now, and 40% say they feel worse off financially than they did a year ago.

Household expenses persist as a key problem for homeowners, with 55% anticipating spending more in 2026 than in 2025 to cover them. That's a seven percent jump from January 2025.

Financial fragility crosses generations 
For almost half (49%) of homeowners, personal finances cause the most stress in their life – and that number is even higher for Millennials (58%). Notably, this is followed by death of a loved one (38%) and personal injury or illness (37%) across all age groups.

"Millennials have had a tougher time entering the housing market than preceding generations," says Micheletti, adding that they also have been saddled with more debt from rising education costs and the impact of the Great Recession. "However, we also see the margins between stressors narrowing for Gen Xers and Baby Boomers," he notes. "As part of the 'sandwich generation,' they may feel the added pressure of helping children financially while also caring for aging parents."

Inability to handle unexpected expenses
Regardless of age, inability to handle unexpected expenses may be contributing to overall stress. More than a third of homeowners have less than $1,000 in an emergency savings fund. This represents a marked increase since Unlock's January survey, when only 24% of homeowners reported having less than $1,000 in their emergency fund. Plus, 27% have less than $500 – or none at all – saved for emergencies.

Fed interest rate drop not enough to spur action
Despite the Fed's recent announcement to lower the federal funds interest rate by 0.25%, and forecasts that this is the first cut of several, 59% of homeowners say it doesn't motivate them to take any action.

• Only 25% believe 2026 will be a good year to buy a house; 33% believe it will be a good year to sell.
• 59% say they are not likely to purchase a new home until a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 6% or lower.
• 92% said they wouldn't consider a cash-out refinance until rates dropped to 6% or below.

"The vast majority of homeowners – 77% – still believe that owning a home is one of the best ways to grow personal wealth, and 60% say that having home equity provides an extra level of security," points out Micheletti. "Yet, as we head into the last quarter of the year, we see homeowners facing continued high prices, rates that aren't motivating them to take action and high levels of stress." 

* Survey methodology
Unlock commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,010 homeowners throughout the United States Sept. 18-22, 2025. The margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence level of 95%. Atomik Research, part of 4mediagroup, is a creative market research agency. 

Unlock Technologies (www.unlock.com)
Founded in 2020, Unlock Technologies is a Tempe, Arizona-based financial technology company providing products and services that help homeowners address financial needs so they can plan the future they envision. The company's flagship product is its home equity agreement, a clear, flexible financing solution for homeowners who want to access their home's equity without taking on monthly payments.

Media contact:  Allison Ferré, Communications and Public Relations Director, [email protected]

SOURCE Unlock Technologies