By the Numbers

A third of sellers listing this spring have sub-5% mortgages, while most buyers aren’t waiting for rates to drop — spurring market activity, a new survey found.

Though mortgage rates climbed in March, pending sales increased 1.5% compared to February — but what happens next will depend on how the war in Iran progresses.

Lot inventory has fallen nearly 24% since 2019, just before the Covid-era construction boom began, Realtor.com found — “and the market is still paying for it.”

Sellers outnumber buyers nationally, but with mortgage rates and inflation up from February, the “spring housing market is still a bit of a toss-up.”

While business professionals and people in management still have the highest rates of homeownership, service occupations have seen big gains in recent years.

Though mortgage rates are ticking down and home price appreciation has dropped year-over-year, widespread economic uncertainty continues sapping demand.

NAHB’s April survey found that higher construction material costs — stemming from surging fuel prices — and the slow housing market are weighing on builders.

Only 21% of recent homebuyers were first-timers, according to a new NAR report, with younger millennials accounting for the biggest year-over-year drop.

About 8% of Zillow users search for rental and for-sale listings simultaneously, with the share increasing in many of the country’s priciest metros.

The rise in mortgage rates seen since the war in Iran began prompted NAR to revise its 2026 forecast, with only a 4% uptick in existing home sales now expected.

Inflation rose 3.3% in March and consumer confidence has hit a new low. Plus, judge upholds quashed Fed subpoenas; White House pitches $10.7B cuts to HUD; more.

Though the housing market had some momentum earlier this year, economists now say a “fog of uncertainty” has settled over the spring homebuying season.

Rates fell today, but even if the situation in the Middle East improves, it will take time for the U.S. economy — and the housing market — to get back on track.

A study suggesting that pre-marketing could lead to an inventory boost has been criticized by Zillow Chief Economist Mischa Fisher: “The math doesn't hold up.”

A new congressional report estimates that there are nearly 60K fewer home construction jobs now than before the president introduced “Liberation Day” tariffs.

Zillow reports an uptick in web traffic for home listings, while ICE finds that today’s market is “better supplied and more balanced than in recent years.”

The U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs in March, potentially bringing good news for household formation and mobility. But the momentum may not continue into April.

Baby boomers whose kids live elsewhere own about 28% of the nation’s large homes while millennial parents — who own about 16% — struggle for a slice of the pie.

Homebuyers and sellers appear to be hesitating, with mortgage application activity stalling as weekly average rates hit 6.46% following five weeks of increases.

Weak buyer demand and high home prices are contributing to the trend of listings lingering on the market, according to new Redfin data.