Home sellers these days aren’t making what they once did but they’re still doing okay. In fact, according to ATTOM Data Solutions’ Year-End 2025 U.S. Home Sales Report, the typical home sale netted $118,710 in gross profits last year – a 49 percent return on investment. That’s a pretty good return but down from year-before levels. In 2024, profit margins were 55 percent. Rob Barber, ATTOM’s CEO, says profits have been trending downward, but it may be a good sign. “While sellers continued to command record prices, … [Read more...]

The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices is considered among the leading measures of U.S. home prices. Released each month, the indices cover all nine Census divisions and are constructed to accurately track the price path of a typical home in each analyzed metro. According to its most recent release, S&P found home prices up 1.4 percent nationally through the end of November, unchanged from the previous month. “November’s results confirm that the housing market has entered a period of tepid growth,” … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Application Survey, average mortgage rates increased last week from one week earlier. Rates were up across most loan categories, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with conforming loan balances, 15-year fixed-rate loans, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 5/1 ARMs. Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist, says the increases led to a drop in mortgage demand. “Mortgage rates increased for the first time in a month, and as … [Read more...]

When you think about homeowners’ associations, you likely think about condo and new-home developments, where residents pay a monthly fee to cover shared spaces, maintenance, and other amenities. Most home buyers probably don’t even consider the possibility unless they’re moving to that type of community. But they may have to change. Because the share of homes for sale that include a monthly HOA fee is rising. In fact, according to a new analysis from the National Association of Realtors’ consumer website, it’s … [Read more...]

Luxury home listings can be fun to look at whether you can afford to buy a luxury home or not. But, these days, whether or not you can afford to buy a luxury home may have a lot to do with where you’re looking. In fact, according to a new analysis from the National Association of Realtors’ consumer website, the gap between a luxury home and a typically priced home can be relatively small. Nationally, luxury homes are about three times more expensive than a median-priced home, but that can change from one local … [Read more...]

Homeownership has many benefits over renting and, these days, affordability may be among them. According to ATTOM Data Solutions’ 2026 Rental Affordability Report, owning a home is now more affordable than renting a three-bedroom property in more than half of 364 analyzed counties. In fact, homeownership was the more affordable choice in 57.7 percent of counties. Rob Barber, ATTOM’s CEO, says the upfront costs of buying a home remain an obstacle for many potential buyers. “Renters looking to put down roots, young … [Read more...]

After several months of improvement, the number of contracts to buy homes fell in December, according to new numbers from the National Association of Realtors. The NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index measures contract signings, not closings, and is considered a good indicator of future home sales. In December, it was down 9.3 percent from the month before and 3.0 percent lower than year-before levels. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says it’s hard to say what caused the dip. “After several months of encouraging … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell last week from the week before across most loan categories. Rates were down for 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist, says rates were at their lowest level since September 2024. “Mortgage rates declined further last week, driving another big week … [Read more...]

ATTOM Data Solutions’ Year-End 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report shows foreclosure filings up 14 percent in 2025 from one year earlier. That represents default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions on 367,460 properties. But while a double-digit increase in foreclosure activity isn’t typically good news, last year’s increase may be a sign that the market is returning to normal – rather than getting ready to crash. Rob Barber, ATTOM’s CEO, says foreclosures are still well below pre-pandemic levels. … [Read more...]

New numbers from the National Association of Realtors show home buyers ended 2025 on a high note, with sales of existing homes up 5.1 percent from the month before. Gains were seen across all regions of the country and pushed sales 1.4 percent higher than they were one year earlier. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says December sales were the strongest in three years. “2025 was another tough year for home buyers, marked by record-high home prices and historically low home sales,” Yun said. “However, in the … [Read more...]