You don’t need a zero balance to buy a home. Here is why 1 out of 3 first-time buyers are successfully navigating student debt. Student loans are back in the spotlight. And whether you've been following the headlines closely or just catching bits and pieces here and there, there's a good chance they've been on your mind lately. And if you’re questioning whether you have to hit pause on your plans to buy a home, here's the thing you have to remember: Having student loans doesn

Forget the headlines. From a $35 trillion equity cushion to stabilizing prices, here is the data showing why this market is far from broken. You've probably heard plenty of doom and gloom about the housing market lately. High rates. Stretched budgets. Headlines that make buying or selling sound like a terrible idea. But the data tells a very different story. This isn't 2020 or 2021. It was never going to be. Those were the "unicorn years" – historic low mortgage rates, biddi

You may be hearing that a near-record number of homeowners are pulling their houses off the market. And if that headline has you thinking, “Wait… is something bad about to happen?” You’re not alone. Because when people start stepping to the sidelines, it sounds like a warning sign that something’s coming – or that they realize something you don’t know. Here’s the thing. This trend gets spun like it means the market is about to crash. But the data tells a more practical story.

Widespread price drops aren't in the cards. Before you bench your moving plans, here is how a "rebalancing" market protects your equity. One of the biggest reasons buyers are still sitting on the sidelines is because they think home prices are going to come down. Some believe a crash is coming and they'll get a better deal if they hold off. Others worry they'll buy now and watch their home's value fall later. And nobody wants to overpay or buy right before values drop. But he

If affordability has been the biggest thing standing between you and a home, there's a little good news. Asking prices have started to come down. The typical seller listed their house for a median of $429,500 in May. That’s 2.4% lower than a year ago, according to Realtor.com. On its own, that won't transform what you can afford, but in today’s market every little bit helps and it signals a broader shift taking place. Buyers Are Finally Catching a Break Check out this data fr

If the housing market feels confusing right now, you’re not alone. Mortgage rates have risen. Home sales haven't picked up like expected. And many buyers and sellers are wondering when things are going to feel easier or be more affordable. The truth is: a lot changed over the first half of this year. Back at the end of 2025, economists were forecasting a much stronger housing market for 2026. They expected mortgage rates to come down, affordability to improve more dramaticall