In the housing market, the seller and the buyer are, in many cases, the same. To buy a new home, you must sell the home you already own. For several years, a persistent and historic lack of supply has restrained the housing market, but a recent uptick in inventory is poised to boost sales activity as the spring home-buying season peaks. Our ... Read More ›

As we commemorate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, it’s an opportune time to celebrate the progress that single women have made in pursuit of the American Dream of homeownership. According to an analysis of anonymized household-level survey data, the homeownership rate among single, female-headed households (including widowed, ... Read More ›

Homeownership is often touted as one of the most effective ways to build wealth, especially for lower income households, for several reasons. Renters don’t capture the wealth generated by house price appreciation, nor do they benefit from the equity gains generated by monthly mortgage payments, which become a form of forced savings for homeowners. ... Read More ›

The housing market has been on quite the roller coaster ride since the beginning of the pandemic. While it was strong prior to 2020, the onset of the pandemic and the societal changes it triggered redefined the role of a home. As work-from-home became the new normal, a house was no longer just a dwelling or a vehicle for wealth creation, but also ... Read More ›

Demographic trends are a fundamental driver of housing demand and supply and analyzing them can help us anticipate how many people will need housing, as well as roughly when, where and what kind of housing. During the pandemic, the peak of millennial demand for homeownership coincided with record-low mortgage rates and a shortage of homes for ... Read More ›

In August, the 30-year, fixed mortgage rate hit the highest level since the early 2000s. Higher mortgage rates have a dual impact on the housing market – reducing affordability for potential buyers and strengthening the rate lock-in effect for sellers. The outlook for the U.S. housing market is therefore heavily dependent on the path of mortgage ... Read More ›