Getting pre-approved for a home loan before house hunting helps set a realistic budget, improves negotiating power, and speeds up the buying process. It shows sellers and agents you're serious, increasing your chances of securing a home. To get pre-approved, check your credit score and debt-to-income ratio, gather financial documents, and apply with lenders. Pre-approval…

First-time homebuyers accounted for 49% of purchase mortgage originations in 2025, down from 56% in 2022, with median purchase prices rising from $314,000 to $345,741 and median incomes from $61,728 to $77,208. Down payments remained around 5%, and median age stayed at 33. Repeat buyers made up 51%, buying more expensive homes with higher incomes…

Mortgage rates fell to 6.43% for 30-year fixed loans, down from 6.49% the previous week and 6.67% a year ago. For a median-priced $429,500 home with 20% down, monthly payments dropped to about $2,156, saving $54 monthly compared to last year. FHA borrowers with 3.5% down pay around $2,601 monthly, saving $65 monthly versus last…

In Late-Q2, US asking prices fell ~3% yearly, the eighth straight decline, while pending sales rose ~4% yearly for a seventh straight month. The national median listing price reached $430K, active inventory topped 1.1M homes with yearly growth, and new listings also increased, expanding buyer choice. Homes spent a median 53 days on market, matching…

Moving from renting to buying means coordinating three outside timelines too: landlord, seller, lender. Each can speed up or stall your move. When closing slips past a lease end, buyers may face lease-break penalties, lost deposits, pricier month-to-month rent, or overlapping rent and mortgage payments. Financing delays often come from appraisals, title work, or seller…

Home sales are expected to improve modestly in the second half of 2026 if inventory and supply grow. Existing-home sales and median prices are forecasted to rise 4%, with mortgage rates averaging 6.5%. Homeowners may gain about $16,000 in wealth this year. The economy is projected to avoid recession, with unemployment under 5% and 400,000…

Starting July 1, Senate Bill 79 requires cities in eligible California regions to allow denser residential development near major transit stops, unlocking zoning capacity for over a million homes. The law applies to several large urban counties and aims to boost housing supply, support transit ridership, and reduce emissions by overriding certain local zoning restrictions…