There’s no arguing it, affordability is still tight. And if you’re trying to buy a home, that may mean you need to look at smaller houses to find one that’s still in your budget. But there is a silver lining: builders are focused on building these smaller homes right now and they’re offering incentives. And that can help give you more options that fit the bill. Newly Built Homes Are Trending Smaller During the pandemic, homebuyers wanted (and could afford) larger homes – and builders delivered. They focused on homes that wer ..read more

          When mortgage rates spiked up over the last few years, some homeowners put their plans to move on pause. Maybe you did too because you didn’t want to sell and take on a higher mortgage rate for your next home. But is that still the right strategy for you? In today’s market, data shows more homeowners are getting used to where rates are and thinking it may be time to move. As Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, explains: “Listings are up a bit as life events and job changes are putting increasing pressure on locked ..read more

        Rents and home prices skyrocketed during the pandemic-fueled housing boom, and they’re still high, but demand continues to remain strong. “Unbelievable demand has sort of been the story of the last five to seven years,” Invitation Homes’ chief executive Dallas Tanner recently told CNBC, “and that’s due to really the villain being supply. We continue to talk about this lack of supply; we need somewhere between three and five million more housing units.” The rental market began to soften toward the end of 2023 and into the beginning of 2024 becaus ..read more

          Thinking about buying a home? If so, you’re probably wondering: should I buy now or wait? Nobody can make that decision for you, but here’s some information that can help you decide. What’s Next for Home Prices? Each quarter, Fannie Mae and Pulsenomics publish the results of the Home Price Expectations Survey (HPES). It asks more than 100 experts—economists, real estate professionals, and investment and market strategists—what they think will happen with home prices. In the latest survey, those experts say hom ..read more

          If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, mortgage rates are probably top of mind for you. They may even be why you’ve put your plans on hold for now. When rates climbed near 8% last year, some buyers found the numbers just didn’t make sense for their budget anymore. That may be the case for you too. Data from Bright MLS shows the top reason buyers delayed their plans to move is due to high mortgage rates (see graph below):   David Childers, CEO at Keeping Current Matters, speaks to this ..read more

        There’s been a lot of recession talk over the past couple of years. And that may leave you worried we’re headed for a repeat of what we saw back in 2008. Here’s a look at the latest expert projections to show you why that isn’t going to happen.   According to Jacob Channel, Senior Economist at LendingTree, the economy’s pretty strong: “At least right now, the fundamentals of the economy, despite some hiccups, are doing pretty good. While things are far from perfect, the economy is probably doing better than people want to give it credit for ..read more

          Some Highlights If you’re looking to buy a home, it’s important to know how mortgage rates impact what you can afford and how much you’ll pay each month. That’s because even a small change in mortgage rates can have a big impact on your purchasing power.  The best way to navigate changing mortgage rates and make an informed buying decision is to rely on the expertise of a local real estate professional and mortgage lender ..read more

There’s a lot of confusion in the market about what’s happening with day-to-day movement in mortgage rates right now, but here’s what you really need to know: compared to the near 8% peak last fall, mortgage rates have trended down overall. And if you’re looking to buy or sell a home, this is a big deal. While they’re going to continue to bounce around a bit based on various economic drivers (like inflation and reactions to the consumer price index, or CPI), don’t let the short-term volatility distract you. The experts agree the overarching downward tren ..read more

        Chances are at some point in your life you’ve heard the phrase, home is where the heart is. There’s a reason that’s said so often. Becoming a homeowner is emotional. So, if you’re trying to decide if you want to keep on renting or if you’re ready to buy a home this year, here’s why it’s so easy to fall in love with homeownership. Customizing to Your Heart’s Desire Your house should be a space that’s uniquely you. And, if you’re a renter, that can be hard to achieve. When you rent, the paint colors are usually the standard shade of whit ..read more

        Have you been thinking about selling your house? If so, here’s some good news. While the housing market isn’t as frenzied as it was during the ‘unicorn’ years when houses were selling quicker than ever, they’re still selling faster than normal. The graph below uses data from Realtor.com to tell the story of median days on the market for every January from 2017 all the way through the latest numbers available. For Realtor.com, days on the market means from the time a house is listed for sale until its closing date or the date i ..read more