For Single Women, Housing Remains Largest Component of Wealth Creation

By Ksenia Potapov on March 10, 2023
As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, it’s important to reflect on the progress that women, and single women in particular, have made in achieving one of the main tenets of the American Dream – homeownership. Since 2019, the number of single, female-headed households (including widowed, separated, or divorced) has ... Read More

Housing Homeownership

Housing Affordability Improved for Second Consecutive Month in December

By Mark Fleming on February 28, 2023
While affordability has fallen 48 percent since December 2022, as measured by the Real House Price Index (RHPI), affordability has improved for two straight months. Nominal house price appreciation has slowed dramatically in response to dampened demand. Nationally, annual nominal house price growth peaked in March at 21 percent but has since ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

How Will Recent Uptick in Mortgage Rates Impact Spring Home-Buying?

By Mark Fleming on February 22, 2023
There’s no question that the housing market fell into a deep freeze in the second half of 2022. Excluding the early months of the pandemic, the pace of existing-home sales fell below 5 million seasonally adjusted sales for the first time since 2014. Yet, signs have emerged that sales activity may pick up in the months ahead. Purchase mortgage ... Read More

Interest Rates Potential Home Sales tenure

Why Free-and-Clear Homeowners Hold the Key to Unlocking More Housing Supply

By Odeta Kushi on February 17, 2023
As mortgage rates rose rapidly last year, the golden handcuffs of low mortgage rates, otherwise known as the rate lock-in effect, was frequently cited as a primary culprit for the ongoing housing supply shortage. And, rightfully so, as according to third-quarter 2022 Federal Housing Finance Agency data, 84 percent of all outstanding mortgages have ... Read More

Housing supply

Why Mortgage Rates Hold the Key to Improved Affordability in 2023

By Ksenia Potapov on February 3, 2023
By all respects, 2022 was a tumultuous year for the housing market. Annual house price appreciation remained at a double-digit pace for most of the year, mortgage rates increased by nearly 4 percentage points in less than 12 months and, as a result, affordability plummeted. By October, housing affordability had declined by a record 68 percent ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

House Prices Declining Fastest in Overvalued Markets

By Mark Fleming on January 31, 2023
In November 2022, the Real House Price Index (RHPI) increased by 60 percent on an annual basis. This rapid annual decline in affordability was driven by two factors -- a 7.6 percent annual increase in nominal house prices and a 3.7 percentage point increase in the average 30-year, fixed mortgage rate compared with one year ago. Even though ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability