New mortgage rule could change how Americans buy homes

America’s housing market is undergoing a structural shift, one that goes beyond interest rates and inventory shortages. The way buyers qualify for homes, and what counts as usable wealth, is starting to change. Data published by Redfin on March 26 underline the strain. Pending home sales have slipped, mortgage rates have climbed above 6.5%, and economic uncertainty tied to the Middle East conflict is keeping buyers on edge. At the centre of that shift is a growing mismatch between traditional financial ...