News

The clampdown on immigration has slowed the nation's population growth. Now, Harvard estimates it is also slowing the formation of new households in the United States. Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies estimates that immigration policy means 500,000 fewer households formed in the country each year from 2024 to 2027. Those 2 million households are mainly renters, but over time become homeb

Home prices aren’t set in stone. A property’s value can shift depending on who’s doing the calculation—and why. That’s why you’ll often hear two different numbers thrown around during a home sale: assessed value and market value. So what’s the difference between tax-assessed value versus market value? And how should buyers and sellers use each when negotiating a home sale? Let's break it down. Wha

With all eyes on Election Day, this marks a relatively light week for new Realtor.com economics research reports and housing market indicators.  On Wednesday, I'll be issuing our October monthly housing trends report, taking a look at whether elevated mortgage rates caused buyers or sellers to pull back more, as well as what happened to inventory, asking prices, and contract signings. The Septemb

Jeff Glover takes Glover Agency independent after 17 years with Keller Williams, telling Inman the move is about keeping Glover U broker-agnostic.

NAHB’s Ken Wingert on housing and the midterms, from state ballot measures and the ROAD to Housing Act to tariffs, labor and mortgage rates.

Florida Realtors put $18 million behind a property tax cut, and California and Massachusetts Realtors are backing measures on financing and zoning as housing goes before voters Nov. 3.

Mortgage rates continued to ease this week, with the average rate on 30-year fixed home loans dropping to 7.24% for the week ending Oct. 29, down 8 basis points from 7.32% the prior week, according to Freddie Mac. This second consecutive weekly decline provides an extended breather for homebuyers following the steep multiweek climb earlier this autumn. However, borrowing costs remain significantl

Mindfulness for real estate isn’t about calm. It’s about hearing clients under pressure. See what baseball teaches brokers about training attention.

American incomes edged higher last year even as the gains failed to catch up with surging housing costs, new U.S. Census Bureau data reveals. The national median household income reached $84,780 in 2025, up roughly 3.8% from 2024, according to the new American Community Survey data released by the bureau on Thursday. On a nominal basis, incomes rose in every state except Alaska (-0.47%). At the t

This fall, a charming little suburban enclave in Northeastern Wisconsin has topped the new Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Fall 2026 Housing Market Ranking. Appleton, WI, just a half-hour from Green Bay, bested the previous hottest market, South Bend, IN, for the top spot this fall, thanks to a robust local economy, low cost of living, increased housing inventory, and steady housing demand. "Apple

Home prices are declining rapidly in many of the U.S.’s largest housing markets, with one Texas metropolitan area seeing asking prices fall nearly 10% in a single year.  Austin, TX, had the largest drop in median listing prices in September, followed by Memphis, TN, and Tampa, FL, according to Realtor.com's September Housing Report. The listing price for homes in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos m

Mortgage applications increased 3.4% from one week earlier, as interest rates on home loans declined for the second week in a row, giving buyers some relief. For the week ending Oct. 23, the Mortgage Bankers Association's Market Composite Index—a measure of total mortgage loan application volume—increased 3% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. The Purchase Index, which measures t

National home values posted modest gains in August, picking up speed from July, though price growth still failed to keep pace with inflation. The value of single-family homes as measured by repeat transactions rose 2.1% year over year in August, up from a 1.9% annual increase the month before, according to data from the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Index released Tuesday. The more robust growth came

The federal government has its eye on supercharging manufactured housing, aiming to encourage new innovations that bring down the cost of living. And yet, only a fraction of the country could actually see the benefit under current rules. Just 17% of the nation is zoned to explicitly allow manufactured housing communities, according to the latest Realtor.com® report on the sector. If this zoning hu

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield has stabilized in recent weeks, and the impact is being felt.  For prospective homebuyers, the rise in the bond market has led to mortgage rates crossing into the 7% range for the first time in 2026 in early October. Yet, as of this week, rates dipped for the first time in two months and the Treasury yields have paused in the 5% range. While concerns over mortgage r

The coming week will feature a full slate of new reports from the Realtor.com economics team, as well as key indicators for the housing market and a crucial interest rate decision from the Federal Reserve. In addition to Monday's Manufactured Housing Report from senior economist Joel Berner, the Realtor.com economics team will publish a pair of city-level rental market reports. On Tuesday, senior

Mortgage rates fell for the first time in two months this week as investors sought safety in government bonds, spurred by cooling stock and tech markets and a sharp pullback in new-housing starts fueling inflation fears. The average rate on 30-year fixed home loans decreased to 7.32% for the week ending Oct. 22, down 8 basis points from 7.40% the prior week, according to Freddie Mac. The decline

The Department of the Treasury released its long-awaited guidance on how it plans to restrict institutional investors in the housing market. Treasury unveiled the proposed rule that establishes standards for large institutional investors in the housing market. It follows a January executive order from President Donald Trump meant to discourage investors from benefiting from federal assistance in h

More American adults are living with family or housemates today than at any time in decades, leaving a deficit of 4.3 million households compared to 2010 levels—a gap linked to housing market constraints. There are currently 135 million households across the U.S. instead of the 139.3 million that would be expected if 2010 living patterns remained unchanged, according to a new report from John Bur

California voters will soon determine whether or not to undertake several big housing reforms when they go to the polls in two weeks. The California ballot contains three significant propositions that aim to aid homebuyers, if approved by a majority of voters on Nov. 3. These programs—a bond measure, a homebuyer program, and an update for environmental reviews—address different parts of the housin