Consumer

A bipartisan housing package advanced this week in the Senate. Meanwhile, another bill targets investor activity in areas hit by natural disasters.

The Middle East conflict “just added to the anxiety pile” for buyers and sellers already concerned about economic uncertainty, dampening sales activity.

After hitting three-year lows last week, mortgage rates jumped in the war’s first few days — but the rise could be temporary if the conflict doesn’t last long.

The U.S. had a deficit of 4.03M homes in 2025 — up from 3.8M in 2024 and the third-largest supply gap of the past 14 years, according to Realtor.com data.

A new bill focused on home equity investment contracts underscores a widening fight — and rising scrutiny of a model built around appreciation, not interest.

The average weekly rate dipped below 6% for the first time in more than three years — a threshold that could unlock buyers (and sellers) this spring.

While affordability remains a challenge, lower mortgage rates and increases in inventory are giving buyers some wiggle room as they search for their next home.

A new Consumer Policy Center report says referral fees charged by companies like Zillow and Realtor.com reinforce high commissions.

The slowdown is increasingly tied to hiring confidence and stalled migration — not just sub-3% mortgages, according to Compass Chief Economist Mike Simonsen.

Several U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern over the merger’s speedy closing. Plus, SCOTUS strikes down tariffs; a new step in Fannie, Freddie IPO; more.

Three homebuyers, represented by Moehrl attorneys, filed a class-action suit claiming Veterans United Home Loans facilitates “illegal referrals and kickbacks.”

Rates fell to 6.01% this week, the lowest level in more than three years. But homebuying activity remains sluggish even as affordability steadily improves.

The typical down payment fell 1.5% year-over-year in late 2025 — a shift Redfin economists say may be a sign that buyers are seeking more affordable options.

Cooling inflation gives the housing market an “incremental tailwind.” But economists warn that data released this time of year can be tricky to interpret.

While existing home sales tumbled 4.4% year-over-year in January, improvements in affordability and inventory offer hope for more market activity this spring.

The U.S. household mobility rate fell to 11.2% in 2024, Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies found — and early 2025 data indicates not much has changed.

The latest employment report makes a case for “cautious optimism” ahead of the spring homebuying season — if job and wage growth continue.

A bipartisan housing package is headed to the Senate. Plus, FHFA repeals 2024 fair housing rule; Congress reauthorizes NFIP; new jobs, inflation data coming.

A majority of Americans think that people aren’t making enough money to afford homes — and high mortgage rates aren’t helping, according to a Bright MLS survey.

Though mortgage rates aren’t expected to change much in 2026, many prospective buyers are holding out hope for a sudden drop, a Clever Real Estate survey found.