Analysis and Data

Single-family rent growth has slowed, signaling easing rental pressure in many markets and potential shifts in borrower demand, underwriting assumptions, and purchase opportunities for mortgage originators

Freddie Mac’s November volume data show steady but restrained portfolio growth and continued credit resilience as higher rates and slower origination activity weigh on the mortgage market

In November, home sellers outnumbered buyers by an unprecedented margin — about 37.2% — creating a pronounced buyer’s market with more negotiating power for purchasers and the largest imbalance recorded since at least 2013

With the Fed divided on future rate cuts, MBA projects modest growth, easing home price pressures, and improving origination volumes amid a cooling job market

Sluggish buyer demand pushed listings lower in November, while pending sales posted their steepest decline in nearly a year and homes took the longest to sell for any November in almost a decade

Realtor.com’s latest rent report shows rents falling for the 28th straight month, but finds that only a handful of major metros are affordable for full-time minimum wage workers, even as wage hikes begin to offer modest relief

Home sellers pulled back late in 2025, as seasonal trends returned and many opted to wait for stronger spring demand rather than list or cut prices

Nearly nine out of 10 mortgage brokers expect business growth in 2026, driven by refis, first-time buyers, and Non-QM loans, despite ongoing concerns about interest rates, housing prices, and economic conditions

Lower immigration projections through 2035 are expected to slow household formation, weaken renter and buyer demand, and reduce overall housing and mortgage origination volumes

The Urban Institute says innovative mortgage products like assumable, portable, or 50-year loans may improve mobility at the margins, but will not meaningfully improve affordability