According to recent research from Zillow, 53% of all American homes lost value over the past year, which is the highest figure since 2012. The data also showed that most homes have declined in value from their peak, with an average drop of 9.7%. These figures can be intimidating, as a home is often the largest asset, and a steep decline could affect net worth or retirement plans. While the price declines were common, the actual money lost was minimal because only 4.1% of homes are not as valuable as the ...

Core Insights - The median price of existing homes decreased to $422,400 in August, down from a record high in June, indicating a slowdown in the housing market [1] - Home prices grew only 1.5% year-over-year in August, marking the weakest annual increase in over two years and falling below the current inflation rate of 3% [2][3] - The national homeownership rate stands at 65%, suggesting that more people own homes than stocks, which may impact homeowners' financial perspectives [6] Home Price Trends - Home prices in the 20 largest metro areas in the U.S. rose just 1.6% year-over-year, a decline from the previous month's 1.8% increase, reflecting decreased home-buying demand [3] - The growth rate of home prices is now running at half the rate of inflation, leading to a real erosion of homeowners' housing wealth [7] Implications for Homeowners - The slow growth in home prices may benefit aspiring home buyers who have faced rapidly increasing prices in recent years [4] - For current homeowners, the stagnation in home price growth could negatively affect their perceived financial well-being and spending patterns, as their real equity diminishes [5][7]

Economic Outlook - Mortgage rates are projected to end 2025 at 6.4 percent and 2026 at 6.0 percent, revised down from previous forecasts of 6.5 percent and 6.1 percent [1] - Annual home price growth is now forecasted at 2.8 percent for 2025 and 1.1 percent for 2026, down from earlier projections of 4.1 percent and 2.0 percent [1] - Total home sales are expected to reach 4.85 million units in 2025 and 5.35 million units in 2026 [1] Research Group Insights - Fannie Mae's Economic and Strategic Research Group analyzes current data, historical trends, and conducts surveys to inform economic and housing forecasts [4]

The investor share of home sales reached an all-time-high in 2024 as declining rents and slower home price growth has prompted some investor-owners to cut their losses. https://t.co/77ACxEnfs3 ...