June’s National Homeownership Month is a timely reminder that owning a home remains a core part of the American Dream — but rising costs and shrinking affordability are putting that dream out of reach for many prospective buyers. What’s changing? Across the board, housing expenses have climbed. The American Property Owners Alliance reports median monthly […]

New data from the National Association of Realtors shows single Gen Z women are leading their peers in homebuying. Among Gen Z buyers (ages 18–26), single women made up 35% of purchases, compared with 18% for single men—making Gen Z the generation with the largest share of single-woman buyers. Across all generations, single women accounted […]

Good news for homebuyers: VantageScore 4.0 is increasingly being accepted by mortgage lenders as an alternative to FICO. Built to be more predictive and inclusive, VantageScore 4.0 offers a few advantages that can make mortgage financing more accessible: Important note: Mortgage underwriting policies still vary by lender and loan program. Some lenders and government-backed programs […]

Actually, no it’s not, and here’s 7 reasons how AI is changing residential real estate, but it is not “taking over” the industry — and several practical, legal, emotional, and technical reasons explain why humans will remain central to buying, selling, financing, and managing homes. First, real estate is deeply relational and trust-driven. Buying or […]

According to the National Association of Realtors the typical first-time homebuyer was 35 years old in 2025.  That’s down from 36 in 2024 and from a recent high of 38 in 2018, according to a new report. Repeat buyers’ median age fell to 47, down from 52 in 2024. Why this matters to you NAR’s […]

Mortgage rates are currently stable, with the national average for a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.16%, only slightly above its recent low. While mortgage rates have been gradually declining since May, they remain above 6%, and experts are uncertain about future reductions in 2026. Factors that could lead to lower mortgage rates include proposals from […]

Three metrics that measure competition in the U.S. housing market each dropped to the lowest September level in six years last month. Share of homes selling above list price: 25.3% of homes that sold went for more than their final list price, down from 28.5% a year earlier. Average sale-to-list-price ratio: This metric came in at 98.6%, […]

In short, no. You probably shouldn’t wait to buy a home until mortgage rates drop more drastically. Mortgage rates are just one part of the affordability equation. You also have to consider home prices, a factor of housing supply and demand. The current housing market is in a crunch. To put it simply, buyers outnumber […]

The Federal Reserve’s recent rate cut, while anticipated, doesn’t automatically translate into lower mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are complex and are influenced by several factors, including the 10-year Treasury yield, investors’ expectations about the economy, and inflation. This means that even with the Fed signaling further rate cuts, mortgage rates could still rise if inflation […]

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 […]