Core Insights - 70% of potential sellers believe it is a good time to sell their homes, driven by optimism about home values and buyer offers meeting asking prices [1][2] - 55% of potential sellers who have been considering selling for over a year feel "locked in" due to high mortgage rates [8] Seller Motivations - 79% of potential sellers are motivated by necessity, with 46% seeking a different community, 34% needing more space, and 25% looking to downsize [2][10] - 61% of potential sellers have been contemplating selling for more than a year, with 46% of them considering it for one to two years [7][8] Seller Confidence - 81% of potential sellers expect to receive their asking price or more, and 75% believe their home will sell within the average time frame or quicker [3] - 96% of potential sellers have taken steps to prepare for a sale, with 71% checking their home's value and 61% researching neighborhood prices [4][6] Home Improvements - 38% of potential sellers have made home improvements, with 70% focusing on light renovations such as repainting and updating fixtures [5] - 65% of those who renovated addressed potential inspection issues, while 59% undertook major renovations like kitchen or bathroom remodels [5] Listing Process - 60% of potential sellers have initiated the listing process, with 36% contacting a real estate agent and 27% completing a home inspection [6] - 22% have already listed their home for sale [6] Regional Differences - Seller attitudes vary by region, with 80% of potential sellers in the Northeast believing it is a good time to sell, compared to lower percentages in the West (72%), South (69%), and Midwest (65%) [10] - The Northeast is identified as the most undersupplied region, contributing to heightened seller optimism [10] Interest Rate Impact - 78% of potential sellers anticipate that interest rates will remain the same or increase in the next year, influencing their likelihood to sell [9] - 66% of potential sellers plan to buy another home after selling, with half feeling "locked in" by current mortgage rates [8]

Core Insights - Homebuyers in the U.S. set a new record for down payments in 2024, with significant increases in the Northeast and Midwest, while declines were observed in several Southern and Western states [1][2][3] Down Payment Trends - Delaware experienced the highest increase in median down payments at 38.6%, reaching $49,000, followed by Rhode Island at 32.8% and Maine at 32.0% [1][3] - In contrast, states like Texas and Florida saw substantial declines in down payments, with Texas down 16.5% to $15,350 and Florida down 14.1% to $27,566 [4][12] Regional Dynamics - The Northeast and Midwest are characterized by intense buyer demand and significant housing supply gaps, leading to higher prices and competitive market conditions [4][12] - Only eight out of the 50 states reported falling down payments in 2024, indicating a generally competitive market across the country [10] Metro-Level Analysis - The San Diego metro area saw the largest increase in down payments, with a 33.7% rise, while other metros like Cincinnati and New Orleans also reported significant increases [5][7] - Conversely, Cape Coral, Florida, experienced the largest decline in down payments at 31.2%, attributed to stagnant home prices [9][11] Future Outlook - Down payments are expected to remain high in competitive regions with limited inventory, while markets in the South and West may continue to experience softening trends [12]

Core Insights - A survey by Realtor.com® reveals that moving is a mix of excitement and stress, with 36% of movers feeling excited on moving day [1][2] Moving Costs and Spending - Movers spent nearly $17,000 on setting up their new homes, while those using Realtor.com® spent nearly $20,000 [1] Cleaning and Home Preparation - Over 60% of movers prefer DIY cleaning, focusing on areas like bathrooms and countertops [3] - 61% of movers purchased new cleaning products, with 51% opting for organic or natural options [4] Connectivity and Technology - Connectivity is a priority, with over 60% of movers having internet installed before or on moving day [5] - The use of 5G internet increased from 27% in previous homes to 35% in new homes [6] Brand Experimentation - Movers are open to trying new brands, with nearly one in three having purchased or leased a vehicle in the past year [7] - 33% of movers added new coverages to their homeowners insurance, with flood and fire coverage being the most common additions [8] Additional Insights - Common life events for movers include promotions (39%), new jobs (21%), and having a child (16%) [11] - 68% of movers relocate within 50 miles of their previous residence [11] - Neighborhood safety is a top influencer in home purchases, with movers equally prioritizing neighborhood and house features [11]

Core Insights - The U.S. housing market is showing signs of recovery with increased inventory and more homes for sale, but buyer caution persists due to economic uncertainties [1][2][8] Market Trends - The spring housing season is characterized by more sellers and a growing number of homes available, indicating a rebalancing market [2] - The median listing price remained stable at $424,900, with a year-over-year change of 0.0% and a significant increase of 38.9% since March 2019 [3] - Active listings increased by 28.5% year-over-year, while new listings rose by 10.2%, marking the strongest March performance in three years [3][9] Buyer Behavior - Pending home sales declined by 5.2% year-over-year in major metro areas, with 36 out of 44 metros experiencing decreases, particularly in Jacksonville and Miami [4] - Some markets, such as San Jose and Grand Rapids, saw increases in pending listings, suggesting local dynamics are influencing buyer sentiment [5] Pricing Dynamics - A record 17.4% of active listings had price reductions in March, the highest share for any March since 2016, indicating sellers are adjusting to budget-conscious buyers [6][7] - Markets with the highest price reductions included Phoenix (32.6%) and Tampa (28.9%), while tighter markets like Buffalo (5.4%) maintained firmer pricing power [7] Inventory Analysis - Total inventory remains 20.2% below typical levels from 2017 to 2019, with significant gains in inventory seen in San Jose (+67.9%) and Las Vegas (+67.8%) [9] - Despite improvements, the Northeast continues to lag with inventory nearly one-third below pre-pandemic levels, highlighting ongoing supply challenges [9]

Highest number of days: Hawaii (17 days), California (15 days), Massachusetts (15 days) and Montana (15 days). Lowest number of days: Kansas (7 days), Missouri (7 days), Indiana (7 days), Illinois (7 days), West Virginia (7 days), Michigan (7 days), and Ohio (6 days)  AUSTIN, Texas, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The median national home price in the U.S. is $412,000 and for Americans looking to buy a home, the magic number of days required to work per month to afford the mortgage payment is 10, according t ...

Core Insights - The typical down payment in Q4 2024 was $30,250, slightly below Q3 but $3,000 higher than the previous year, marking the highest down payments in history both in dollar amount and as a share of purchase price [1][2] - Down payments in 2024 averaged 14.4% of the purchase price, up from 14.2% in 2023, indicating a trend towards larger down payments as the market remains skewed towards higher-end homes [2] Down Payment Trends - Homebuyers are utilizing pandemic-era savings, which peaked at over 30% of disposable income during the pandemic, to make larger down payments [3] - Despite a lower savings rate post-pandemic, the typical down payment amount remains more than double the pre-pandemic median, with a share of purchase price over 3 percentage points higher than before [4] - Accumulated pandemic savings and high existing home equity are aiding buyers in making substantial down payments [5] Market Segmentation - Housing activity is increasing in the high-priced segment ($750,000+), with a 7.4% rise in sales, while lower-priced segments are declining by 9.3% [6] - Modest down payments, typically used by first-time buyers or those using government-backed loans, have increased but remain below pandemic peaks [7] - The 30th percentile down payment in Q4 2024 was $8,200, up 6.5% year-over-year but down from a peak of $10,300 in Q2 2022, indicating a competitive market environment [8] Future Outlook - As mortgage rates ease, a more diverse range of buyers may enter the market, potentially reducing the incentive to minimize home loans; however, if inventory does not keep pace with demand, down payments could rise again due to increased competition [9]

Rent jumps are expected in: New York, N.Y., Kansas City, Mo., Detroit, Mich., Washington D.C., San Jose, Calif., Baltimore, Md., Boston, St. Louis and Charlotte, N.C. Federal employment hot spots show no sign of meaningful impact from federal layoffs… yet AUSTIN, Texas, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rents have been on a decline in the top 50 metros for over a year, but low multifamily permitting activity is making way for higher rent prices, according to the Realtor.com® February rent report. In fact, wit ...

Core Insights - CenterPoint Energy successfully managed operations during fire weather conditions, with approximately 99% of customers experiencing no outages [1] - The company undertook extensive safety preparations, including inspections and adjustments to equipment, to mitigate risks associated with high winds and fire hazards [2][3] Group 1: Operational Performance - The system performed well during high wind gusts, with less than one percent of customers affected by outages [1] - CenterPoint Energy is returning to normal operations as the National Weather Service's Red Flag Warning has ended for the Greater Houston area [1] Group 2: Safety Preparations - Key actions included inspecting power lines in high-risk areas, clearing hazardous vegetation, and adjusting safety settings on power lines [4] - The company proactively communicated with approximately 330,000 customers regarding potential temporary outages due to fire danger [4] Group 3: Customer Engagement - Customers are encouraged to enroll in the Power Alert Service® for updates on outages and restoration times [3] - The company emphasizes the importance of verifying contact information to ensure effective communication during future weather events [3]

Sellers who list April 13-19 could potentially make $4,800 more, sell their home nine days faster and have 13.2% less competition on average, than in the average week AUSTIN, Texas, March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a challenging real estate market, timing can make a difference and this year, according to the Best Time to Sell report from Realtor.com®, the optimal time when sellers are likely to find the ideal balance of market conditions is April 13 - April 19. If 2025 follows the previous years' seasonal ...

Core Insights - The U.S. is facing a housing shortage of nearly 4 million homes due to over a decade of underbuilding, which is making homeownership increasingly unattainable for many Americans [1][4][6] - Realtor.com® has launched the "Let America Build" campaign to advocate for solutions that expand housing supply by addressing regulatory barriers and promoting pro-building policies [5][6] Construction and Supply Trends - In 2024, home completions reached 1.6 million, the highest in nearly two decades, with new construction activity outpacing household formations for the first time since 2016 [2][6] - Despite these gains, the nation still has a supply shortfall of 3.8 million homes, which is the third-largest annual gap since 2012, and at the current pace, it would take approximately 7.5 years to close this gap [2][7] Demographic Impact - Rising housing costs and limited availability have led many young adults, particularly Millennials and Gen Zers, to live with family or roommates, resulting in an estimated 1.63 million "pent-up" households that did not form in 2024 [3][4][6] Regional Analysis - The South experienced the most significant improvement in its housing gap, reducing it by 24.9%, although it still requires 1.15 million units [9] - The West saw a 13.4% reduction in its housing gap, while the Midwest only managed a 2.4% reduction, and the Northeast's gap widened by 1.2% [9] Industry Response - Realtor.com® is collaborating with industry leaders, policymakers, and housing advocates to push for actionable changes that will expedite home construction and address the housing crisis [5][6] - The company hosted discussions at the South by Southwest festival to explore innovative solutions for the housing supply and affordability crisis [10]