Higher rates are not all bad news. Here is how elevated borrowing costs are quietly driving inventory back toward 2019 levels. You may have heard the number of homes for sale isn’t growing like it was. And maybe that has you worried you won’t find a home you love when it’s time to make your move. But that may be about to change. Here’s why your pool of options may actually start ticking back up again. Growth Has Slowed, But It Hasn’t Stopped Active listings were up 2.1% year-

Why 8% rates didn't happen: Understanding the hidden economic metric that is keeping mortgage rates grounded. If you’re waiting for mortgage rates to fall a lot before you buy, you may be waiting a while. But before you get discouraged, there’s a number working behind the scenes that’s actually good for you right now. It’s called the spread, and once you understand it, you may see today’s rates in a whole new light. The Pattern That’s Held for 50+ Years For starters, mortgage

Wall Street isn't buying up all the starter homes. They're quietly offloading them. Here is why institutional retreat is creating a massive opening for everyday buyers. For years, a lot of would-be homebuyers have worried about the same thing. How do you compete with big investors who can swoop in, pay cash, and snap up the houses you want? Well, worry a little less. Because right now, those big investors aren’t buying up the market. They’re backing out of it. Investors Are B

Only 23% of major markets are seeing price dips. Discover why the second half of the year could favor faster growth. After more than a year of headlines talking about how home prices are going to crash, the latest data shows that price growth may be starting to pick back up again. And depending on whether you’re buying or selling, that shift means something different for you. The Numbers May Be Starting To Turn For the past couple of years, home price growth has been moderati

Stretched budgets and single-family price tags holding you back? Here is why a 10-year high in condo inventory could be your ticket to homeownership. Today’s home prices have a lot of buyers – especially first-time buyers – wondering if there’s even anything out there that’s in their budget. But owning a home may be more within reach than you think. Sometimes, it just means considering a different type of home. Condos and townhomes can be a great way to buy without stretching

Headlines claim buyers have vanished, but contract data reveals demand is actually outperforming the last two years. If you’ve been thinking about selling, you’ve probably seen plenty of headlines suggesting buyers have just about disappeared. But there’s a big difference between a slow market and a stalled one. Yes, mortgage rates are still higher than most people would like. Homes aren’t selling as fast as they were. And every week seems to bring another headline about buye

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