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
Record 8.5% of U.S. Homes Are Worth $1 Million or More
Despite high mortgage rates pushing down demand, historically low inventory keeps pushing up home prices, and therefore values. That’s good news for homeowners, but challenging
The Typical Teacher Can Afford 48% of Apartments Near Their School—Up From 41% Last Year. But They Can Afford Just 14% of Homes for Sale
Rental affordability has improved thanks to flattening rents and a modest increase in teacher pay. In Portland, OR, the typical teacher can afford 91% of
U.S. Housing Market Nears $50 Trillion in Value as Number of Trillion-Dollar Metros Doubles
There are now eight trillion-dollar metros, up from four a year ago, with Anaheim, CA, Washington, DC, Chicago and Phoenix joining the list of places
Homebuyers Have Gained Nearly $30,000 in Purchasing Power Over the Last Month Thanks to Mortgage-Rate Drop
House hunters should consider jumping into the market now, with last week’s soft jobs report sending mortgage rates to their lowest level since April 2023.
Nearly 25% of Gen Z House Hunters Willing to Sacrifice Safety to Afford a Home: Redfin Survey
17.3% of house hunters, overall, would trade off their safety to find an affordable home. Concern for safety is also a common reason why people
Renter Nation: America’s Renter Population Is Growing Three Times Faster Than Its Homeowner Population Amid Rise in Homebuying Costs
The number of renter households grew 1.9% in the second quarter—one of the biggest gains in recent years. The number of homeowner households rose 0.6%—the
