In today’s frazzled residential real estate market, with mortgage rates stubbornly high and inventory issues in many parts of the land dovetailing high prices for homebuyers, it is always nice to see some data favorable to buyers. Namely—builders have overestimated the demand for their finished houses and are slashing prices in many cities, according to…
As mortgage rates have hit their lowest level in over three years, expectations of reaching a more affordable market in 2026 have grown dramatically. On this optimistic track, a new Zillow analysis states that mortgage payments should be affordable by year’s end for several major markets, the most since 2022. In the case of the…
President Donald Trump has floated several controversial ideas to help make housing affordable again. But his latest pitch—allowing Americans to tap 401(k) plans and 529 education savings accounts without penalties to fund their down payments—could have lasting financial consequences even if it helps with some upfront homeownership costs. According to a report from Politico, the…
There are all kinds of numbers available for people to ponder as they set on the path to homeownership. Every month the National Association of Realtors® releases a home-purchase affordability report which provides the latest national facts and figures regarding qualifying income needed to buy a home, current average mortgage rate, median family income and…
As 2025 comes to a close, affordability has stabilized somewhat for many homebuyers, according to the latest National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) Housing Affordability Index. NAR’s data saw the qualifying income needed to buy a home decrease slightly to $100,272 in October (based on a 25% qualifying ratio for monthly housing expense to gross monthly…