Analysis and Data

Pending home sales are falling apart at a record pace, with more than 16% of December contracts canceled as higher costs and increased inventory give buyers greater leverage to walk away before closing

Downpayment assistance is expanding and loosening eligibility nationwide, with more programs, higher income caps, broader property support, and deeper benefits that improve borrower qualification and loan quality

Washington, D.C. reclaimed the top spot in RentCafe’s 2025 Most Livable Metro Areas ranking, edging out Portland, Maine, as Midwestern cities dominated the broader top 20 on affordability and quality-of-life measures

Falling mortgage rates are driving a surge in buyer interest and mortgage applications, even as home sales remain slow and buyers gain negotiating power amid rising inventory, according to Redfin

For the first time, mortgages with rates above 6% now outnumber sub-3% loans, signaling a gradual reset of the pandemic-era lock-in market

Redfin data shows sellers now outnumber buyers by a record 47%, pushing the U.S. housing market deeper into buyer-friendly territory as demand sinks to historic lows

MBA data shows new-home mortgage applications rose 2.5% year-over-year in December, signaling resilient demand despite a seasonal slowdown and broader housing headwinds

Zillow forecasts that easing mortgage rates, slower price growth, and rising incomes will make homeownership affordable in 20 of the nation’s largest metros by 2026, the broadest improvement since 2022

Falling mortgage rates have driven the largest year-over-year drop in monthly housing costs in more than a year, boosting buyer affordability even as market activity remains muted

A historic $2.4 trillion inheritance wave is set to reshape the luxury housing market, with Gen X and millennials driving demand toward resilient cities, lifestyle-focused homes, and real estate as a core wealth strategy