The median U.S. asking rent rose 2.6% ($45) year over year to $1,790 in August—the largest increase since December 2022. It’s now just $70 below the record high hit in the summer of 2022. August marked the third-consecutive month of year-over-year increases following roughly two years of declining or flat rents. On a month-over-month basis, […]

After a period of sustained high interest rates, the real estate market has been defined by a “lock-in” effect, where homeowners with low-rate mortgages have been hesitant to sell, leading to limited inventory and high prices. However, with the Federal Reserve widely anticipated to lower its benchmark interest rate this fall, the housing landscape could […]

As ongoing trade tensions and tariff negotiations continue to dominate economic headlines, consumers are adopting a cautious stance when it comes to spending. Many individuals are holding back on major purchases, uncertain about how tariffs might impact prices on imported goods, from electronics to everyday essentials. This period of uncertainty has led to a wait-and-see […]

The real estate market is undergoing a significant transformation, a welcome change from the frenzied seller’s market of the past few years. We are now seeing a more balanced environment, and in some areas, a distinct trend towards a buyer’s market. This shift, driven by factors like increased inventory and a stabilization of home prices, […]

As previously reported, both the House and Senate passed bills to ban “trigger leads,” except in limited circumstances, although the versions of the bills that were previously passed are slightly different. The one difference is that the House-passed version calls for a Government Accountability Office study on the value of trigger leads by text message. By […]

With a growing gap between supply and affordability, a new report from Cotality reveals the U.S. housing market is seeing a significant shift in what defines a “starter home.” Once characterized by modest new builds on the outskirts of town, the starter home is now more likely to be an older, smaller property — and it’s commanding […]

The City of Mount Vernon and the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce continue their free community Summer Concert Series this Thursday at 6pm at the Mount Vernon Riverwalk on Main Street with The Chris Eger Band. Very few musicians are said to be extraordinary examples of excellence in any one genre of music. Even fewer […]

Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group has lowered its forecast for US existing single-family home sales in 2025 to 4.14 million units, down from the 4.24 million units projected in the previous month’s outlook. The revision was published in the group’s June 2025 Economic and Housing Outlook. The updated forecast reflects revised expectations […]

The City of Mount Vernon and the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce continue their free community Summer Concert Series this Thursday at 6pm at the Mount Vernon Riverwalk on Main Street. This week’s featured band: Mama Dirty Skirt! Mama Dirty Skirt has been performing the hits of Classic Rock, Motown, Rhythm and Blues with rich […]

Most homeowners say they won’t buy or sell a home this year, no matter what rates do… That’s according to a survey from Bankrate which shows 54% of U.S. homeowners wouldn’t feel comfortable selling at any mortgage rate in 2025, up 12 percentage points from last year. A similar share of homeowners, 51%, say they wouldn’t feel […]