Market Studies

"First-time buyers now appear to be making relative gains as high mortgage interest rates disproportionately encourage current homeowners to stay put," said Manny Garcia, Zillow Population Scientist.

After more than a year of double-digit yearly rent gains, the U.S. median rental price in September posted its smallest year-over-year increase since last summer, further declining from its peak in July 2022.

Amid inflated mortgage rates and a nationwide housing affordability crisis, the "American Dream" may seem far-fetched for many. The latest analysis from RentCafe showed that renting is at the highest level in half a century, with nearly 44 million households currently living in rentals.

Over the last few weeks, markets have increasingly—and perhaps reluctantly—reflected the resolve of the Fed to lower inflation via rapid tightening of monetary policy," said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae SVP and Chief Economist.

A new report required by law under the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009, a provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, showed that the majority of loans are current, and foreclosures remain below levels recorded before the pandemic.

The latest analysis from First American Financial revealed that millennials are the most educated generation in American history, with nearly 40% possessing a bachelor’s degree or more, as those with higher education remain more likely to obtain homeownership.

“Over the last two months, the impact of major increases in mortgage rates and inflation have finally been realized in the slowing rate of home price appreciation. It is once again clear that home prices are not impervious to the broader economic conditions around the country,” noted Steve Gaenzler, SVP of Products, Data and Analytics for homegenius Real Estate.

The number of climate-disaster damage is on the rise according to WalletHub's latest market report. The report examines which states are most impacted by natural disasters, with Hurricane Ian now projected to have done as much as $57 billion in damage to Florida and South Carolina.

New data from Black Knight, Inc. has found that most mortgages have a rate below 5%, which reflects current drops in refinance activity, as well as cash-out and rate/term locks.

According to Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Index, the percentage of Americans that believe now is a good time to buy a home decreased alongside those who expect mortgage rates to go down in the next year. Meanwhile, the percentage who say it is a bad time to buy increased to 75%.