Realtor.com’s 2026 rankings highlight the U.S. markets where affordability, inventory, and local amenities still offer first-time buyers a viable path to homeownership despite nationwide challenges
January’s delayed and frequently revised economic data paints a mixed picture: solid GDP growth and easing housing prices alongside stubborn inflation, softening labor trends, volatile rates, and sharply weakening consumer confidence
A new Redfin report finds Black Gen Zers and millennials are half as likely as their white peers to own homes, as wage, wealth, credit, and systemic barriers continue to widen the racial homeownership gap among younger Americans
Homebuyer affordability improved for the seventh consecutive month in December 2025, driven by lower mortgage payments and steady income growth, though regional and loan-type differences persist
ATTOM data shows that U.S. homeowner equity dipped modestly in the fourth quarter of 2025, as the housing market continues to normalize, with equity levels remaining historically strong despite slight increases in underwater mortgages
Homebuyers gained significant negotiating power in 2025, with Redfin data showing the largest discounts off list prices in 13 years amid record inventory
New Redfin data shows a modest rise in home listings and easing affordability pressures, as lower mortgage rates begin drawing cautious buyers and sellers back into the market
The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate at 3.50–3.75%, citing solid economic growth, persistent inflation, and a soft labor market, leaving mortgage rates largely steady
Affordability in the U.S. housing sector improved sharply as rising incomes, falling mortgage rates, and flat home prices boosted U.S. house-buying power nearly 10% year-over-year, though supply constraints remain a key risk
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