Housing Market News
Affordability
Homebuyers Must Earn Nearly $80,000 to Afford the Typical U.S. Starter Home, Just Shy of the All-Time High
Homebuyers need to earn roughly $80,000 to afford the median-priced starter home, up 4.4% from last summer and only about $500 below the all-time high.
The Typical Homebuyer’s Down Payment is a Record $67,500, Up 15% From a Year Ago
The typical homebuyer put down 18.6% of the purchase price, up from 15% a year ago. Nearly 3 in 5 homebuyers put down more than
6 of Every 7 People With Mortgages Have an Interest Rate Below 6%, But the Lock-In Effect Is Starting to Ease
The mortgage rate lock-in effect is prompting many homeowners to stay put, contributing to America’s housing shortage. But the lock-in effect is slowly easing because
Starter Homes Emerge as Bright Spot as Mortgage Rates Settle Near 15-Month Low
Pending starter home sales grew 10% in July year over year, while other price brackets fell. The median price for a U.S. starter home climbed
Condo HOA Fees Surge in Florida Amid Insurance Crisis
HOA dues are up more than 15% from a year ago in Tampa, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, compared with a median gain of 6% across
U.S. Home Prices Tick Up 0.2% for the Second Month in a Row
Home prices grew 0.2% in July, equal to the slowest pace since January 2023. Twenty of the 50 most populous U.S. metros recorded a drop
Americans Have Gained $2 Trillion in Home Value During the Coronavirus Pandemic
The value of homes in the U.S. has surged 6.7% to $31.4 trillion since February despite skyrocketing unemployment triggered by the pandemic—further widening the wealth
In Areas at High Risk for Wildfires, Relative Affordability Lures Homebuyers
In the past eight years, the price difference between low-risk and high-risk areas has flipped—from a 2.5% premium in high-risk areas in 2012 to a
Condo Prices Climb 5.4% in August, Lagging 11.9% Growth for Single-Family Homes
Condos are facing relatively slow price growth as remote work, the desire for privacy and record-low mortgage rates make single-family homes more desirable during the coronavirus pandemic. But condos could make a comeback if single-family home prices continue to surge.
America’s Housing Shortage Is Intensifying During the Pandemic—Especially in Relatively Affordable Places Like San Antonio and Baltimore
Relatively affordable places including San Antonio and Baltimore have seen housing supply plummet, while San Francisco has experienced a flood of homes for sale as Americans flee dense, expensive cities
Homebuyers on a $2,500 Monthly Budget Can Afford $33,000 More With Low Mortgage Rates, But Higher Home Prices Cancel Out Increase
Historically low rates are motivating homebuyers even though prices were up 8.2% year over year in July, effectively cancelling out the increase in purchasing power.
A Quarter of San Francisco Home Sellers Are Dropping Their Prices, the Highest Rate on Record
San Francisco has seen a greater increase in price drops than any other U.S. metro, with the share of sellers slashing prices more than doubling from a year ago as the pandemic drives homebuyers out of the Bay Area.
