If you're buying a home in 2026, there's a good chance you've been watching mortgage rates almost as closely as home prices. And if you've recently gone under contract, you may be facing an important decision: Should you lock your mortgage rate now, or wait and hope rates come down before closing? It's a question that can have a meaningful impact on your monthly mortgage payment. According to Freddie Mac's October 15, 2026 Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the average 30-year f

If you've been searching for a home and wondering why prices remain relatively high despite a slower housing market, one important piece of the puzzle may surprise you. There simply aren't that many empty homes across the country. According to ATTOM's latest Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report, just 1.3% of residential properties nationwide are vacant. That percentage was unchanged from both the previous quarter and the same period one year earlier. Even more intere

For many Americans, a home isn't just a place to live. Over time, it can also become one of the largest assets they own. That happens because of home equity. Every mortgage payment can help reduce the amount owed on a home, while increases in property value can add another layer of equity. Over years of homeownership, those two forces can create a substantial difference between what a homeowner owes and what the property is worth. Despite some recent cooling in the housing ma

What's really happening with the housing market right now? That's a harder question to answer than it might seem. One month, home prices are making headlines. The next month, it's mortgage rates. Then inventory rises, existing-home sales change, or new economic data suggests buyers may be preparing to return to the market. One of the better indicators for understanding where home sales could be headed next is pending home sales. The National Association of REALTORS® Pending H

For several years, homebuyers using a mortgage faced a frustrating competitor in the housing market: the all-cash buyer. During the most competitive periods of the recent housing market, sellers frequently received multiple offers within days—or sometimes hours—of listing a home. Buyers found themselves competing not only on price but also on the strength and simplicity of their offers. That's where cash buyers had a major advantage. An all-cash offer doesn't require mortgage

What are today's homebuyers actually looking for? It's tempting to assume the answer is simple: the lowest-priced home they can find. After several years of higher home prices, elevated mortgage rates, rising homeowners insurance premiums and affordability challenges, you'd expect buyers to focus almost exclusively on price. But the latest look at America's hottest ZIP codes tells a more complicated story. An annual analysis of the country's most in-demand ZIP codes found tha

For the past several years, one of the biggest frustrations for homebuyers has been the speed of the housing market. A desirable home could hit the market on a Thursday, have a packed weekend of showings, receive multiple offers, and be under contract by Monday. Buyers often felt pressured to make quick decisions, limit contingencies, increase their offers, or compete against several other people for the same property. That kind of housing market can be exhausting—especially

When homebuyers think about affordability, the conversation usually starts with home prices and mortgage rates. Those are certainly two of the biggest factors determining how much house someone can afford, but they aren't the only expenses that matter. One housing cost receiving considerably more attention is homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance premiums have risen significantly in recent years, adding another expense for buyers already balancing mortgage rates, home pr

When homebuyers start searching for a new home, it's easy to focus on the obvious things: price, square footage, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, school district, property taxes, and the size of the yard. But increasingly, buyers are looking beyond the four walls of the house. They are asking questions like: Can I walk to a park? Are there restaurants and shops nearby? Is there a downtown area I can enjoy without getting in the car? Are there sidewalks? Can I walk my