Despite strong interest in home-buying, affordability challenges and misconceptions about down payments are deterring many potential buyers, according to a new survey from NeighborWorks America. The nonprofit organization reports that 27% of U.S. adults say they plan to buy a home within the next year. However, among those who are postponing or not planning to […]
Survey: Down payment concerns delay homeownership for many Read More »
Despite growing attention around all-cash transactions, most Americans — especially first-time buyers — continue to finance their home purchases, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Among primary residence buyers, 74% financed their home purchase in 2024. That share jumps to 91% for first-time buyers, said Jessica Lautz, NAR’s deputy chief
NAR: Homebuyers still have down payment misconceptions Read More »
The U.S. Conference of Mayors formally endorsed a bipartisan statement to support the Let America Build campaign — a housing policy initiative backed by Realtor.com — during the organization’s annual meeting in Tampa on Sunday. The resolution — introduced by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson — acknowledges the mounting housing affordability crisis, and it calls for
Mayors back Realtor.com’s campaign to address the housing crisis Read More »
Soaring home prices, limited inventory and elevated mortgage rates have exacerbated the housing affordability crisis in many housing markets when viewed in the context of household incomes, which have remained generally stagnant. In a new study, Zillow compiled related metrics to measure the affordability gap in terms of how much more income a household would
The five housing markets where homeownership is still affordable Read More »
Multi-generational living is on the rise. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 17% of homebuyers purchase a home to share with parents, adult children, or extended family. That’s the highest share ever recorded by NAR (see graph below): And what’s behind the increase? Affordability. NAR explains: “In 2024, a notable 36% of homebuyers
Multi-Generational Homebuying Hit a Record High – Here’s Why Read More »
An Arlington County, Virginia, “Missing Middle” housing initiative has been given new life following a Virginia Court of Appeals decision Tuesday — dismissing a lawsuit aiming to overturn the zoning overhaul. A report from WTOP News showed the court finding that a group of homeowners who filed suit failed to include real estate developers as
Virginia appeals court backs ‘missing middle’ housing policy Read More »
The rapid rise in home prices and housing costs over the past five years has strained affordability in every part of the country, but a new study seeks to put a finer point on which metropolitan areas are getting hit the hardest. Realtor.com calculated the share of income a typical household spends on housing by
Here are the three metros where homeownership is still affordable Read More »
A rising tide of financial pessimism is washing over U.S. consumers, driven by concerns about inflation, global instability and a lack of economic clarity. At the same time, a solid majority of Americans remain optimistic about their financial future, according to TransUnion’s Consumer Pulse Study for the second quarter of 2025. The result is a
‘Feelings-based recession’: More Americans fearful of finances Read More »
The housing affordability crisis often conjures images of coastal urban cities with acute housing supply shortages and heavy land-use regulations. While these places do tend to have the highest home prices, it’s not where costs are rising the most. That’s according to a sprawling new study from JPMorgan Chase that examines affordability from a number
The pandemic made housing less affordable, but not in the obvious places Read More »
Massachusetts homebuyers will soon be protected from being pressured into waiving home inspections under new regulation. The policy, put forth by the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), prohibits sellers and their agents from requiring or encouraging buyers to waive a home inspection as a condition of purchasing real estate. It also
Massachusetts set to bar home sellers from requiring inspection waivers Read More »