noteswpadmin As the U.S. housing market enters 2025, mortgage rates remain elevated compared to the ultra-low levels of the early 2020s. Many buyers and analysts are asking: What happens if interest rates stay high for an extended period? The answer is critical for first-time buyers, move-up buyers, sellers, and investors alike. 1. Affordability Will Continue to … Read more
The U.S. housing market is showing tentative signs of recovery in 2025, but optimism comes with caveats. Several factors could stall or reverse progress, turning a fragile rebound into a prolonged stagnation. Understanding these risks helps buyers, sellers, and investors plan strategically. 1. Rising Mortgage Rates or Policy Surprises 2. Persistently High Home Prices 3. … Read more
Mortgage-rate forecasts dominate headlines and social media chatter, but they often leave buyers, sellers, and investors asking: How reliable are these predictions? Understanding the sources of optimism, the reasons for caution, and the limitations of forecasting can help homeowners navigate the mid-2020s housing market without overreacting to every projection. Why forecasts can feel so conflicting … Read more
Mortgage-rate moves and local economic conditions haven’t just shifted borrowing costs — they’re reshaping who can buy, rent, or stay in a community. In the mid-2020s this is producing a stark geography of winners and losers: “low-rate relief zones” where modest rate cuts and rising supply help affordability, and “high-rate markets” where chronic price-to-income gaps … Read more
Interest-rate cuts from the central bank are headline-grabbing because they lower the cost of borrowing. But their real effect on housing is filtered through local economies, mortgage markets, and supply constraints — and that’s why the same Fed move can help one metro recover while leaving another stalled. Below I explain the transmission channels, show … Read more
The mid-2020s housing market is moving beyond a single national storyline. Instead, recovery and continued strain are playing out regionally: some metros are finally seeing inventory and affordability improvements, while others remain deeply supply-constrained or face new headwinds. Below I map the likely winners and laggards for 2025–2026, explain the mechanics behind each outcome, and … Read more
As 2025 rounds out, several indicators suggest that U.S. housing inventory — active listings for sale — may be gradually recovering from the severe shortage that defined the post-pandemic housing boom. That said, the recovery is uneven, slow, and in many places still leaves stock well below historical norms. Here’s a breakdown of what recent … Read more
As the U.S. housing market moves deeper into the mid-2020s, one trend is becoming increasingly clear: new-home construction is gaining momentum while resale inventory remains historically tight. For the first time in decades, builders—not existing homeowners—could play the dominant role in shaping market supply. This shift isn’t temporary. It’s structural. And it has major implications … Read more
After a chaotic first half of the decade marked by historic rate hikes, price surges, inventory shortages, and affordability challenges, the U.S. housing market is finally entering a new phase. But make no mistake: 2026 won’t bring a housing boom. It will bring a reset — a slow normalization after years of volatility. This shift … Read more
As mortgage rates show signs of inching lower in the mid-2020s, many Americans are asking the same question: Which regions will actually benefit the most from modest interest-rate relief?While a drop from, say, 7% to 6.3% may not sound dramatic, even small rate movements can reshape affordability—especially in markets where income levels, home prices, and … Read more