Blog

  • July Home Sales Show Encouraging Signs for the Market

    July Home Sales Show Encouraging Signs for the Market

    Home sales rose 7% year-over-year in July, but this reflects deals made earlier when mortgage rates were lower. Currently, new contracts barely increased and fell from June, signaling fading momentum. Rising mortgage rates and inflation may reduce affordability, pushing buyers to the sidelines. Inventory grew slightly, giving buyers more leverage, but supply remains below pre-pandemic levels. Sales are forecasted to grow modestly in 2026, with prices stable and rates easing slowly.

    Continue to full article

  • Will a cooling labor market keep mortgage rates below 7% in 2026?

    Will a cooling labor market keep mortgage rates below 7% in 2026?

    Recent labor data shows slower job growth and a slight drop in unemployment due to lower labor force participation, offering the Federal Reserve some relief in considering rate hikes. Inflation pressures are expected to persist through 2026, with a possible rate increase in early 2027. Fed officials remain cautious, emphasizing the need to reach a 2% inflation target amid risks from geopolitical conflicts and rising costs linked to AI investments.

    Continue to full article

  • AI Housing Predictions: Help or Hidden Influence?

    AI models analyze vast datasets, from rates to neighborhood signals and online sentiment, uncovering patterns humans miss and sharpening housing and mortgage decisions.
    For buyers and sellers, AI tools can flag future hot spots, suggest pricing, timing, and renovations, and add data-driven confidence to major decisions.
    Trust remains central because many models work like black boxes, making strong predictions without clear explanations and raising questions about hidden bias in training data.
    Widespread adoption could blur prediction and influence, as shared signals steer investor, lender, and buyer behavior, potentially reinforcing trends and amplifying market swings.
    Across developed and emerging markets, adoption differs with data quality and oversight, making collaboration, education, and human oversight central to next steps.

  • U.S. At 250: Housing Still Defines the Dream

    As the US celebrates 250 years, housing still stands as part of the American story, linking homeownership with family wealth, economic strength and aspiration.
    Across US history, landmark housing policies expanded homeownership opportunities, helping generations of working Americans purchase homes and build long-term financial stability over time.
    Housing connected household progress with the broader economy, underscoring why owning a home remained central to the American Dream for many families.
    Homeownership has not always looked the same, showing access and experience changed across different periods of US life for American families over time.
    That balance of aspiration and uneven access remains essential context when discussing housing’s role in wealth building, opportunity and long-term stability today.

  • Waiting until fall won’t make homes more affordable, but here’s what will

    Waiting until fall won’t make homes more affordable, but here’s what will

    In six years, the income needed to afford a median-priced American home has nearly doubled to over $120,000. Mortgage rates are expected to stay near 6.5% with home prices continuing to rise slowly, making waiting for a market drop unlikely to help buyers. Many overestimate down payment requirements; typical first-time buyers put down 6-9%, with low or zero down payment options available. Preparation and understanding true costs are key to affordability, not timing.

    Continue to full article

  • Report: Majority of Metro Areas Saw Home Prices Increase in Q2

    Report: Majority of Metro Areas Saw Home Prices Increase in Q2

    Over 80% of metro markets saw home-price increases in Q2 2026, with 5% recording double-digit gains. National median home prices rose 1.5% year-over-year to $434,900. The South led sales growth due to job gains, while the Northeast lagged. Mortgage rates hovered in the mid-6% range, slightly raising monthly payments but improving affordability as incomes rose faster than prices. Inventory and affordability challenges persist for first-time buyers.

    Continue to full article