Housing will face a ‘significant headwind’ in 2026
Despite improving affordability and lower mortgage rates, economic anxiety is expected to mute a housing market rebound in 2026, a Bright MLS survey found.
January 14, 2026
Dave Gallagher
Director, News Reporting
Dave's journalism career spans 24 years covering business, the economy and real estate in Northwest Washington. He's also a numbers nerd, examining data to spot emerging trends in industries. Having started his career as a sports writer, he's a lifelong baseball and soccer fan and recently discovered pickleball. He grew up in Yosemite National Park and earned his journalism degree at Humboldt State University in northern California.
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- Inflation was flat last month, reducing chance of rate cutThe Fed is unlikely to cut interest rates in January, but it might in March. A bigger unknown? How a DOJ probe will affect monetary decisions going forward.January 13, 2026
- Trump housing proposals don’t address biggest challengeThe proposals Trump has announced thus far don’t involve boosting housing supply, which economists and industry leaders say must occur to improve affordability.January 12, 2026
- Fed unlikely to cut rates again after lackluster jobs reportAfter three rate cuts in 2025, the Fed seemed ready to take a wait-and-see approach in 2026 — a strategy expected to hold amid a low-hire, low-fire job market.January 9, 2026
- Mortgage rates steady as monthly payments hit 2-year lowThe year is off to a good start with steady mortgage rates, more inventory and flat price growth. What remains to be seen is whether buyer demand will return.January 8, 2026
- Economists react to Trump’s corporate home purchase banSome real estate economists say the plan announced by the president on Jan. 7 won’t address the key issues at the heart of the housing affordability crisis.January 8, 2026
- Trump ‘taking steps’ to ban corporate home purchasesThe president announced a plan to prohibit “large institutional investors” from buying single-family homes, saying more housing proposals would be coming soon.Updated January 22, 2026
- Real opts into homebuyer commissions settlementThe brokerage has joined a $3.2 million agreement involving 11 other firms, including @properties and Baird & Warner, whose cases were consolidated in October.January 6, 2026
- Real Brokerage pulled into Zillow class action caseReal Broker, LLC, a subsidiary of Real Brokerage, was added as a defendant in the Taylor case, which has accused Zillow of RESPA violations.January 5, 2026
- Big changes could be coming to real estate in 2026While affordability is expected to improve, litigation isn’t going away — and questions remain about what the government will do to bring about housing reform.January 1, 2026
- Mortgage rates close out 2025 at 15-month lowThough lower mortgage rates are improving affordability, economists warn that many potential homebuyers will still be “priced out” in the new year.December 31, 2025
- The Ten: A housing market stuck in placeInventory improved in 2025, but affordability challenges sidelined potential buyers, while unfavorable selling conditions discouraged homeowners from listing.December 30, 2025
- Anywhere hit with 3 lawsuits related to Compass mergerThe complaints claim Anywhere provided deficient financial disclosures in merger documents; Compass responded with new details in an effort to prevent delays.December 29, 2025
- Pending sales rise, but market still stuck in ‘low gear’Last month, pending home sales rose 3.3% compared to October and 2.6% compared to November 2024, with the biggest year-over-year jump occurring in the South.December 29, 2025
- An AI-driven homebuying model is picking up steamProptech firm Homa, which charges buyers a flat fee, recently closed its first sale in Florida and plans to bring its hybrid AI/agent experience to more states.December 27, 2025
- Buyers market expected to persist ‘for the foreseeable future’Mortgage rates fell again this week, making a 2026 home purchase slightly more affordable for buyers who already have an advantage over sellers.December 26, 2025
- Compass, NWMLS bicker over discovery in antitrust caseThe brokerage and Washington state-based MLS have conflicting views over how the discovery phase is proceeding as the case advances toward a trial.December 23, 2025
- The Ten: Powell and the Fed under fire — and in the spotlightThe Federal Reserve and Chair Jerome Powell were frequent targets of the Trump administration in 2026, raising concerns about the agency’s future independence.December 23, 2025
- DOJ weighs in on another commissions lawsuitThe department’s Antitrust Division has filed a Statement of Interest in Davis et al. v. Hanna Holdings Inc., a lawsuit filed by homebuyers last year.December 19, 2025
- Slow and steady improvement in sales as the year wraps upExisting home sales dipped year-over-year but have increased for three consecutive months, suggesting a more balanced and stable market heading into 2026.December 19, 2025
