Analysis and Data

Homebuyers still need to earn about $35,000 more than renters to afford a median-priced home, but easing mortgage rates, slower price growth and rising wages have narrowed the affordability gap to its smallest level in three years

A new LendingTree analysis of American Community Survey data finds Black homeownership significantly trails white households across the 50 largest U.S. metros, reflecting persistent income, credit, and housing value disparities

Sellers age 70 and older net significantly lower home-sale returns — losing about $20,000 on a $400,000 property — due to poorer upkeep and a higher likelihood of off-MLS and investor-driven transactions, Boston College researchers find

Household debt climbed in Q4 2025 as mortgage balances and delinquencies edged higher, highlighting emerging credit stress and renewed second-lien opportunity for originators heading into 2026

Expanded jumbo and Non-QM loan offerings drove a January rebound in mortgage credit availability as lenders loosened standards and positioned for the 2026 spring homebuying season, according to the MBA

ICE reports that a modest January drop in mortgage rates boosted refinancing eligibility to nearly five million homeowners and raised housing affordability to its highest level in four years, even as elevated prices and credit stress persist

ATTOM data shows Opportunity Zones posted home price gains in line with the broader housing market in Q4 2025, with strong appreciation occurring alongside continued affordability relative to national medians

Despite elevated rates keeping current homeowners in place, life events like job changes and family transitions — combined with 47 million millennials still renting — will gradually bring buyers and sellers back to the housing market

National home price growth slowed to just 0.9% year-over-year in December, marking one of the weakest annual increases since the post-Great Recession recovery as the housing market shows signs of stabilization

High mortgage rates remain the top concern for home builders in 2026, with buyer hesitancy, lot constraints, and economic uncertainty expected to persist despite modest improvement from recent peak levels