“December saw sales retreat, but the pull back was more a sign of supply constraints than an indication of a weakened demand for housing.” — NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun

Despite fierce competition in the housing market, nationwide, potential homebuyers still have dealbreakers — and they’re revealed in a new study by HomeAdvisor.

While multifamily starts surged 13.7% compared to November, the pace of new single-family housing construction slid 2.3%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“While lean existing home inventory and solid buyer demand are supporting the need for new construction, the combination of ongoing increases for building materials, worsening skilled labor shortages and higher mortgage rates point to declines for housing affordability in 2022.” — NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke

The San Francisco Bay-area mortgage lender is licensed in 42 states including Massachusetts.

The 2022 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study is out, and the most popular kitchen renovation trend is upgraded countertops.

Board member Stephen Joyce will serve as interim CEO as the company conducts a search for a permanent replacement.

The Swanepoel Power 200, or SP 200, annual ranking of the most-powerful and influential leaders in residential real estate has been released.

Despite the record low number of homes for sale, prices and pending sales continue to rise.

Homeownership remains a cheaper option than renting in the majority of areas, according to a new study by ATTOM Data Solutions.

Taylor Morrison topped Lifestory Research’s annual list of America’s Most Trusted® Homebuilders — for the seventh consecutive year.

At the same time, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 3.33%, its highest level since April 2021, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Inflation concerns are influencing plans for homebuyers and sellers, according to a recent Redfin survey.

Nationally, interest rates rose as builder confidence fell.

Nationally, housing prices were also on the rise, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index. 

“There was less pending home sales action this time around, which I would ascribe to low housing supply, but also to buyers being hesitant about home prices,” National Association of REALTORS® chief economist Lawrence Yun said.