National News

The national view: An interview with NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun

When it comes to getting a clear view of the intersection of real estate and the economy, Lawrence Yun is perfectly suited to the task. The chief economist of the National Association of Realtors recently talked with us to

Real Estate In Brief: Shutdown effects, moving trends and more

The partial shutdown of the federal government continued into its 13th day as the House of Representatives’ new Democratic majority was sworn in Jan. 3. With scarce hope for a quick resolution to the funding lapse, federal agencies continue

Tax reform’s winners (and losers) manifest in luxury real estate

No piece of financial legislation can benefit all players, but it’s clear that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 is having widespread impact on residential real estate across the country. Case in point: Williamson County, Tennessee. The

In reversal, FEMA will fund new NFIP policies during shutdown

Editor’s note: This story has been updated from the original to reflect FEMA’s policy change. The ongoing shutdown of parts of the federal government will have a minimal impact on home sales that require flood insurance, thanks to the

Freddie Mac: Small-time owners of single-family rentals need more financing options

A new white paper by Freddie Mac outlines the significance of single-family rentals to the U.S. rental housing market, highlighting a dearth of financing options for the bulk of investors who own such housing. According to the paper, SFRs, which are

Real Estate in Brief: Condos in Queens, mortgage bets succeed and more

Several cities that were widely favored, but ultimately passed up, during Amazon’s highly publicized search for its second headquarters experienced what some called the “Amazon effect”: More businesses showed interest in relocating to cities like Atlanta after Amazon announced

Case-Shiller price index flat in October, shifting power to buyers

Conditions continue to improve for homebuyers in many of the largest U.S. cities, according to recent data from S&P CoreLogic’s Case-Shiller National Home Price Index and Redfin. The latest reading of the closely watched Case-Shiller index found home price growth

In many cities, 20 percent down payments are rare

Saving for a down payment remains among the biggest hurdles to homeownership, especially for young or first-time buyers. But more data released recently shows that down payment expectations are changing, including the long-held 20 percent standard. A recent report

Fed raises rates, but dials back plans for future hikes

During their final policy meeting of 2018 this week, Federal Reserve officials voted unanimously to continue the central bank’s pace of gradual interest rate increases. As was widely expected, the Fed announced at the conclusion of its Federal Open

Existing home sales grow in November on inventory gains

The National Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that existing home sales in November were up 1.9 percent from the previous month. That makes November the second consecutive month of increasing home sales as prices continue to moderate and listings

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Real Estate in Brief: Best days to close, new renter data and more

The holiday season is all about finding the best deals on gifts for friends and family, but it may also be one of the best times to find a bargain on the biggest purchase most of us will ever

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Freddie Mac warns housing supply problem is compounding

One of the biggest threats to the U.S. real estate market next year will be a familiar one, according to Freddie Mac economists: a lack of inventory due to sluggish building activity. In its latest Insight Report, Freddie Mac

First-time homebuyer activity hit post-recession highs this year

First-time homebuyers made up the largest share of the U.S. home purchase market since 2005 during the first nine months of 2018, according to a recent report from Genworth Mortgage Insurance. That means despite persistent concerns about housing affordability

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How confident should we be in the housing market?

If you’re feeling like home prices can’t go up forever, you’re not alone. The November edition of Fannie Mae’s monthly Home Purchase Sentiment Index cites a 13 percent drop in confidence that prices will continue to climb over a

Millennial renters aspire to homeownership, but getting there could take decades

It may not be surprising by now to hear that the next generation of young adults wants to follow in their parents’ footsteps and become homeowners soon. That’s also increasingly true for those who are currently renters. A new

Real Estate in Brief: Fewer cost-burdened households, millennials delay homeownership and more

The number of households in the U.S. considered cost-burdened last year had slightly fallen, according to a JCHS analysis. The study reviewed data from the 2017 American Community Survey, finding that between 2016 and 2017 the percentage of cost-burdened households (households paying over 30 percent of total household income