A home’s sale is considered pending once a contract to buy is signed. The sale isn’t final until closing. But since most pending sales end in finalized sales, contract signings can be an excellent gauge of current buyer demand – as well as a reliable future indicator of where next month’s existing-home sales numbers will fall. Because of this, the National Association of Realtors’ Pending Home Sales Index tracks contract signings each month. In April, pending sales were up 3.2 percent from last year and were 1.4 … [Read more...]

The National Association of Home Builders conducts a monthly survey of builders, asking their opinion on the market for newly built single-family homes. The resulting Housing Market Index scores builders’ answers on a scale where any number above 50 indicates more builders view conditions as good than poor. In May, the index rose three points to 37. The improvement included gains to all three of the index’s individual components, which measure current sales conditions, buyer traffic, and future expectations. The … [Read more...]

Your ability to obtain a mortgage isn’t just a matter of having the right income, savings, and down payment. There are also shifting lending standards and different loan programs. In other words, it can be more difficult at some times to be approved for a mortgage than it is at others. It depends. That’s why the Mortgage Bankers Association keeps a monthly measure of mortgage credit availability. In April, the MBA’s Mortgage Credit Availability Index was relatively flat, falling just 0.4 percent on a scale where … [Read more...]

Homeownership can make you feel anxious. According to a new survey, 84 percent of homeowners said they have home-related anxiety at least some of the time. But while reports of homeowners losing sleep or feeling tense about their home may seem like an argument against the long-term maintenance and financial commitment of owning a home, that’s not the whole story. In fact, it doesn’t even tell the whole story of the survey’s results. That’s because, among those surveyed homeowners, a staggering 97 percent said … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates rose last week but the increase didn’t stop home buyers. In fact, buyers pushed demand for loans to buy homes 7 percent higher than they were last year at this time. Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist, says all loan types saw gains. “Purchase applications were higher over the week and 7 percent ahead of last year’s pace, with all loan types showing increases in purchase activity, as potential … [Read more...]

The National Association of Realtors’ most recent Existing Home Sales Report shows a 0.2 percent increase in sales of previously owned homes in April compared to month-before numbers. But while sales were flat nationally month-over-month, they were headed upward in the Midwest and South, unchanged in the Northeast, and down in the West. From last year, sales in the West were flat, the South increased, and the Northeast and Midwest both fell. In other words, regional differences remain. Dr. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief … [Read more...]

Today’s housing market may be better for home buyers than many of them realize. There have been significant improvements over the past year. Among them – according to one recent analysis – a dip in the typical monthly mortgage payment and listings that now last longer on the market. That means homes for sale are more affordable and selling more slowly, giving buyers time to consider their options when deciding whether or not to make an offer. Part of the reason for those gains is the continued improvement in the … [Read more...]

During the price spikes of the pandemic-era housing market, the number of homeowners with homes that had an estimated value of more than twice what they owed on their mortgage was climbing. In fact, the share of homes that were considered equity rich eventually hit 49.2 percent during the second quarter of 2024. Since then, though, it has begun to retreat. In fact, according to new numbers from ATTOM Data Solutions’ 2026 First Quarter U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report, the share of equity rich homes among … [Read more...]

The most recent measure of new home sales from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development covers sales numbers from the months of February and March. According to the data, sales were up. In fact, sales were 7.4 percent higher in February and 3.3 percent higher in March compared to year-before levels. Bill Owens, the National Association of Home Builders’ chairman, says demand conditions are improving. “An uptick in new home sales reflects improving demand conditions, supported by a … [Read more...]

Most Americans aspire to own a home one day, if they don’t already. But while most of us are – or want to become homeowners – many of us still have misconceptions about how to buy a home. It’s a major financial transaction, so some confusion is to be expected, especially if it’s your first time around. But, according to a recent survey, some of Americans’ most common misconceptions could be holding them back. For example, potential buyers may be overestimating what it takes to become a qualified buyer. More than a … [Read more...]