Why Buyers and Sellers Face Very Different Conditions Today

There’s a new divide in housing right now. In some states, buyers are gaining ground. In others, sellers still have the upper hand. It all depends on where you live. Curious what's happening in your state?These 3 maps show how the split is playing out across the country. In each one:Darker Shades of Blue = Buyer friendlyLighter Shades of Blue = Seller strongInventory Sets the StageWhile the number of homes for sale has improved pretty much across the board, how much growth we’ve seen can look dramatically different based on where you live. And that impacts who has the leverage today.This map … Continue reading...

3 Reasons Affordability Is Showing Signs of Improvement This Fall

For the past couple of years, it’s been tough for a lot of homebuyers to make the numbers work. Home prices shot up. Mortgage rates too. And a number of people hit pause because it just didn’t feel possible. Maybe you were one of them.But there’s some encouraging news. If you’ve been waiting for a better time to jump back in, affordability may finally be showing signs of improvement this fall.The latest data from Redfin shows the typical monthly mortgage payment has been coming down, and is now about $290 lower than it was just a few months ago (see graph below):And here’s why this is … Continue reading...

Do You Know How Much Your House Is Really Worth?

Want to know something important you probably don’t have a professional check for you nearly as often as you should? Spoiler alert: it’s the value of your home.Because here’s the reality. Your house is likely the biggest financial asset you have. And if you’ve lived in it for a few years or more, chances are it’s been quietly building wealth for you in the background – even if you haven’t been keeping tabs on it.You might be surprised by just how much it’s grown, even as the market has shifted over the past few months.What Is Home Equity?That hidden wealth in your home is called equity. It’s … Continue reading...

Why Now May Be a Key 2025 Moment To Sell Your House

Mortgage rates are finally heading in the right direction – and buyers are starting to jump back in.According to the data, buyer demand picked up considerably once mortgage rates hit a new low for 2025. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports that applications for home loans were up 23% compared to the first week of September last year.If you’ve been waiting to sell, or your listing recently expired because the market was slower than you hoped it would be, now’s the time to reconsider your move. Buyer demand is the highest it’s been since July – and you don’t want to miss this … Continue reading...

What a Fed Rate Cut Could Mean for Mortgage Rates

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) meets this week, and expectations are high that they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate. But does that mean mortgage rates will drop? Let’s clear up the confusion.The Fed Doesn’t Directly Set Mortgage RatesRight now, all eyes are on the Fed. Most economists expect they'll cut the Federal Funds Rate at their mid-September meeting to try to head off a potential recession.According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets are already betting on it. There’s virtually a 100% chance of a September cut. And based on what we know now, there’s about a 92% chance it’ll be a small cut … Continue reading...

Patience Won’t Sell Your House. Pricing Will.

Waiting for the perfect buyer to fall in love with your house? In today’s market, that’s usually not what’s holding things up. And here’s why.Let’s be real. Homes are taking a week longer to sell than they did a year ago. According to Realtor.com:“Homes are also taking longer to sell. The typical home spent 60 days on the market in August, seven days longer than last year and now above pre-pandemic norms for the second consecutive month. This was the 17th straight month of year-over-year increases in time on market.”Part of that is because there are more homes on the market. So, with more … Continue reading...

Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year

You’ve been waiting for what feels like forever for mortgage rates to finally budge. And last week, they did – in a big way.On Friday, September 5th, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to the lowest level since October 2024. It was the biggest one-day decline in over a year.What Sparked the Drop?According to Mortgage News Daily, this was a reaction to the August jobs report, which came out weaker-than-expected for a second month in a row. That sent signals across the financial markets, and then mortgage rates came down as a result.Basically, we're seeing signs the economy may be … Continue reading...

Why 50% of Homes Are Selling for Under Asking and How To Avoid It

If your selling strategy still assumes you’ll get multiple offers over asking, it’s officially time for a reset. That frenzied seller’s market is behind us. And here are the numbers to prove it. From Frenzy to “Normal”Right now, about 50% of homes on the market are selling for less than their asking price, according to the latest data from Cotality.But that isn’t necessarily bad news, even if it feels like it. Here’s why. The wild run-up over the last few years was never going to be sustainable. The housing market needed a reset, and data shows that’s exactly what’s happening right now.The … Continue reading...

Builder Incentives Reach 5-Year High

Even with more homes on the market right now, some buyers are still having a tough time finding the right one at the right price. Maybe the layout feels off. Maybe it still needs some updating. Or maybe it’s just more of the same.That’s why more buyers are turning to new construction – and finding some of the best deals available today.Why? Today, many builders have more homes that are finished and sitting on the market than normal. And that means they’re motivated to sell. They’re running a business, and they don’t want to sit on their inventory. They want to sell it before they build more … Continue reading...

What Mortgage Delinquencies Tell Us About the Future of Foreclosures

You may be seeing headlines about how foreclosures are rising. And if that makes you nervous that we’re headed for another crash, here’s what you should know. According to ATTOM, during the housing crash, over nine million people went through some sort of distressed sale (2007-2011). Last year, there were just over 300,000.So, even with the increase lately, we’re talking about numbers that are dramatically lower. But what does the future hold? Is a wave coming? The short answer is, no.Here’s why. Experts in the industry look at mortgage delinquencies (loans that are more than 30 days past due) … Continue reading...