Median home sale price in US rises to record high as transactions dip

The median sale price for an existing home in the U.S. has grown to a whopping $419,300 — the highest since NAR began tracking the metric — following 11-consecutive months of price gains. Continue reading

Housing starts plunge 5.5% in May as homebuilders act with caution

Construction starts on new housing units dropped 5.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,277,000 —  19.3 percent lower than levels in May 2023, according to U.S. Census data released Thursday. Continue reading

This is the best city for first-time buyers, according to Zillow

First-time homebuyers made up half of all homebuyers in St. Louis in 2023, according to Zillow. That’s the highest share the city has seen since at least 2017. Continue reading

Intel unpacks the startling price of entry into the US housing market

Economists, homeowners and agents broke down the alarming but true cost of buying property in 2023, telling Intel that rising rates and home prices are only the start for wallet-stretched buyers. Continue reading

New builds drive surge of more than $2.6T in housing market value

The value of U.S. housing has reached a new peak of slightly under $52 trillion in the past year and is up 49 percent from the start of the pandemic, according to Zillow. Gains were driven in large part by an increase in new construction. Continue reading

Zillow is the latest lender to offer a 1% down purchase mortgage

UWM and Rocket Mortgage are also leveraging Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac programs tailored to borrowers earning less than 80 percent of the area median income. Continue reading

Even amid high rates, buyers have more options than they realize

Loan officers and assistance programs are just 2 ways to close the knowledge gap, Zillow Senior Economist Orphe Divounguy and Rocket President Tim Birkmeier said Wednesday at Connect. Continue reading

Summer Cooldown: Newly built homes will offer a lifeline for agents

Three leading economists share what’s ahead for the summer, from sellers’ continued struggles with mortgage rates to the resurgence of bidding wars and the gift of new-home sales. Continue reading

US needs 4.3M homes to close the affordability gap: Zillow

During 2021, there were 8 million “missing households” across the country — families without homes of their own — compared to just 3.7 million housing units available for rent or sale, according to Zillow. Continue reading

Zillow unveils affordability tool that prioritizes buyers’ monthly budget

Announced on Monday, the new filter enables users to search for homes within a range of monthly mortgage payment prices that fit their budget, instead of just listing prices. Continue reading