Analysis and Data

Starter-home sales rose 4.9% year-over-year in October, increasing for the 14th consecutive month, with San Francisco recording the biggest jump in starter-home sales

Driven primarily by a spike in labor costs, Verisk examines home repair and remodeling expenses, expenditures that have risen nearly 67% since 2015 and show no signs of reversing

A more even housing market is projected to emerge as steadier prices, easing rates, and rising incomes improve affordability and will provide buyers with more negotiating power

The Mortgage Economic Review is a summary of key economic indicators, data, and events pertinent to mortgage, housing, and finance professionals

According to Zillow, the typical U.S. home listing saw $25,000 in cumulative price cuts in October, with multiple reductions becoming more common as homes take longer to sell

Redfin predicts that 2026 will usher in a “Great Housing Reset” — a gradual rebound in the U.S. housing market, driven by rising incomes outpacing home-price growth, more affordable mortgage rates, modest price increases, and slowly improving homebuying

Freddie Mac reports that mortgage production costs remain high despite modest quarterly improvement, with lenders seeing higher per-loan income but relying on Loan Product Advisor tools to offset rising expenses

The number of home listings that were pulled off the market rose to a historically high level in September, with many homeowners opting to stay put rather than accept a low offer.

In October, the national median rent dipped 1.7% annually to $1,696 amid a softer rental market, while 20 major metros reported higher out-of-market demand than before the pandemic

After several years of choppy performance, independent mortgage banks returned to the black in the third quarter, posting a gain of more than $250 per loan, even as per-loan production costs edged higher