Housing Market Trends - Zillow reports that 59% of renters intending to move within the next year plan to continue renting [1] - The average homeowner now takes 7 to 10 years for owning to make more financial sense than renting, considering mortgage interest rates, home value appreciation (expected to rise less than 2% year-over-year), rent price growth, and opportunity costs [2][3] - In expensive coastal metros like New York City and San Francisco, it can take 15 to 20 years to break even on buying, while in more affordable metros like Memphis or St Louis, it takes 3 to 4 years [4][6] - Prior to the pandemic, the buy-rent break-even point was 2 to 3 years nationwide [7] Renting vs Buying - Renting can be a smart long-term financial option, leading to the rise of the lifestyle renter who values flexibility and freedom [7][8] - The decision to rent or buy depends on personal lifestyle choices and how long one plans to stay in a place [8][9] Advice for Aspiring Homeowners - Improve credit, debt-to-income ratio, and savings to land a better interest rate [11] - Utilize tools like Zillow's Buiability to determine affordability on a monthly basis [12] - Form a team of experts, including a great agent and loan officer, to gain a competitive advantage [13] Future Outlook - Any cuts in mortgage rates or reduction in prices will help affordability and bring more buyers to the market, shrinking the buy-rent break-even time horizon [14] - Even if mortgage rates were to come down dramatically, only 37% of renters said they would buy a home, indicating a continued preference for renting due to lifestyle reasons [15]

Here’s why despite lower mortgage rates many hopeful buyers still can’t afford a house https://t.co/nCrrStx28b ...

Here’s why despite lower mortgage rates many hopeful buyers still can’t afford a house https://t.co/xXRI7ZTdYy ...

Mortgage rates recently fell to a 13-month low before inching slightly higher. See how 30-year mortgage rates compare across every U.S. state. https://t.co/mt79zBuNIy ...

So, Prashant, we know that these homebuilders have been doing these mortgage rate buy downs where if the 30 year fixed rate mortgage is six and a half percent, they'll bring it down to something lower, maybe in the 5% range. But your reporting shows that a lot of these homebuilders are managing to bring down the mortgage rate to something in the neighborhood of 3% or 2% or even 1%, things we haven't seen since the COVID era. Yeah, I think of it like, you know, sort of like being in a at a car dealership or ...

Mortgage rates in the US climbed after four weeks of declines, a reversal that will further strain affordability for buyers https://t.co/fi0Mt6vGfO ...

In markets across the US, homebuilders sitting on unsold inventory are subsidizing mortgage rates so heavily they sometimes match the record lows last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic https://t.co/pxULDhhC4G ...

cylinders. We'll get more reads on the consumer in coming weeks. Rough Lauren, Tapestry, Target, and Walmart.All still to come this month. So, what is the real read on the consumer. Guy, what's your take.>> Exactly. That that there's two different economies right now. The people that are doing well that are trading down but are still a bit have the ability to spend and then on the lower end, people are strapped.And I think that's been going on for quite some time. And we see it in the performances of these ...

Core Insights - Mortgage rates have seen a slight decrease, with the average 30-year fixed rate at 6.08% and the 15-year fixed rate at 5.62% [1][15] Mortgage Rates Overview - Current national average mortgage rates include: - 30-year fixed: 6.08% - 20-year fixed: 5.89% - 15-year fixed: 5.62% - 5/1 ARM: 6.41% - 7/1 ARM: 6.48% - 30-year VA: 5.67% - 15-year VA: 5.19% - 5/1 VA: 5.53% [4] Refinance Rates - Today's mortgage refinance rates are generally higher than purchase rates, with national averages rounded to the nearest hundredth [3] Market Trends - Mortgage rates are expected to remain stable in a tight range over the next few months, with potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts having limited impact on mortgage rates [17] - There has been a general downward trend in mortgage rates since the government shutdown, with current rates lower than a year ago [18] Mortgage Types and Characteristics - 30-year fixed mortgages offer lower and predictable monthly payments, but come with higher interest costs over the loan's life [7][9] - 15-year fixed mortgages have higher monthly payments but lower interest rates, allowing borrowers to save significantly on interest over time [10][11] - Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) offer lower initial rates but come with the risk of rate increases after the introductory period [12][13]

The median US first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old, up from 33 in 2021, thanks to soaring prices and high mortgage rates. https://t.co/k3mfSVdnMB ...