Buying a home has been a good bet for a long time. Home values started rising following the housing crash’s bottom in 2012 and didn’t stop. During the pandemic, they rose even faster, as more Americans were looking to move. Those days may be over, though. In fact, according to one new analysis, 53 percent of all homes lost value over the past year. That’s the highest share in more than a decade. But does that mean home buyers should worry that homeownership has lost its financial benefits? Probably not. The same report that found a little more than half of homes losing value over the past year found just 4.1 percent have lost value since their last sale. That’s a smaller share than before the pandemic. It’s also a sign that homeownership – over the long run – continues to be a good bet, despite the short-term ups-and-downs of the housing market. (source)
