Housing Market News
Affordability
All-Cash Home Purchases Ended 2025 at Five-Year Low
29% of homebuyers paid with cash in December—the lowest share for that month since 2020—as a drop in mortgage rates diminished the benefits of paying
Homebuyer Down Payments Shrink for First Time in 5 Months
The typical homebuyer’s down payment dropped 1.5% year over year in December to $64,000 as elevated housing costs and increased negotiating power drove buyers to
64% of Single Americans Struggle to Afford Housing, Compared With 39% of Married People
Nearly half of single Americans earn less than $50,000 per year, compared to just 9% of married couples, according to a recent Redfin survey. That
Homebuyers Need to Earn $35,000 More Than Renters to Afford Monthly Payments. That’s the Smallest Gap in 3 Years.
Homebuyers need to earn $111,000 annually to afford the median-priced home, compared with $76,000 for renters. The median household income is $86,000. While that’s a
Affordability Is Improving: Buyers Must Earn $111,000 to Afford the Typical Home, Down 4% From Last Year
Homebuying affordability is improving nationwide after nearly five years during which it generally worsened. That’s because mortgage rates are lower and home-price growth is muted.
Austin, TX—Once Among the Nation’s Hottest Housing Markets—Is Now the Slowest
The typical Austin home that went under contract in December spent a record 106 days on the market, compared with 60 days nationwide. A decade
Moved By Fear: 18% of Home Hunters Say Safety/Crime is a Reason They’re Moving, 14% Cite Climate Risks
17.5% of respondents who plan to move in the next year cited a concern for safety/crime as one of the reasons why, while 13.7% cited
U.S. Home Prices Rose 0.5% in October, Marking a Year of Consistent Growth
Home prices grew 0.5% month over month in October, rising at the same pace as September. It was the 12th consecutive month with price growth
Most People Earning Under $50,000 Struggle to Afford Housing. Nearly One-Quarter of Them Have Skipped Meals to Make Their Payments.
Most U.S. residents who earn less than $50,000 struggle to afford their mortgage or rent payments, according to a recent Redfin-commissioned survey. Of those earning
Real Estate Agent Commissions Hold Steady Since New Industry Rules Were Implemented
Buyer’s agent commissions for closed home sales in October were 2.34% compared to 2.35% in August, when industry-wide changes were implemented following the NAR settlement.
Young Homeowners Are Much More Likely Than Young Renters to Say They’re Financially Better Off Than 4 Years Ago
69% of millennial/Gen Z homeowners are better off than they were four years ago, compared with 52% of millennial/Gen Z renters, a Redfin survey found.
Homebuyers Lose $33,000 in Purchasing Power in 6 Weeks As Mortgage Rates Hit 7%
Daily average mortgage rates have increased by nearly a whole percentage point since mid-September, bruising homebuyers’ budgets. The jump in rates comes just one week
