Shutterstock Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. For many young Americans, buying a first home is now a dream deferred. The average first-time buyer is 38, up from the historical range of 29 to 33, according to the National Association of Realtors. “First-time buyers face high home prices, high mortgage interest rates and limited inventory, making them a decade older with significantly higher incomes than previous generations of buyers,” sai ...

Sales of previously occupied US homes rose in November from October levels, but slowed compared to a year earlier for the first time since May, despite average long-term mortgage rates holding near their low point for the year.Existing home sales rose 0.5 per cent last month from October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13 million units, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said Friday. Sales fell 1 per cent compared with November last year. The latest sales figure came in slightly below the ...

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in November from the previous month, but slowed compared to a year earlier for the first time since May despite average long-term mortgage rates holding near their low point for the year. Through the first 11 months of this year, home sales are down 0.5% compared to the same period last year. Subscribe to the Daily newsletter.Fast Company's trending stories delivered to you every day Privacy Policy | Fast Company Newsletters "It's possible that 2025, unless Decem ...

Home Price Trends - Home prices are fractionally lower year-over-year and down 1.4% in the last 3 months [1] - National home prices haven't been negative since mid-2023 [1] - Certain markets are seeing significant price drops, such as Austin (-10%), Denver (-5%), Tampa and Houston (-4%), and Atlanta (-3%) [1] - Other markets are seeing gains, including Cleveland (+6%), Chicago and New York City (+5%), Philadelphia (+3%), and Pittsburgh and Boston (+2%) [1] Market Analysis & Forecast - Parcel Labs' base case is that prices will hover around zero with small positive or negative year-over-year changes, rather than the double-digit gains of the pandemic era [1] - Home prices are influenced by mortgage rates and the broader health of the economy [2] - Supply will also play a role in home prices [2] Data & Methodology - Home price reporting is challenging due to different measurement methods [1] - Parcel uses a high-tech method for measuring home prices, which is considered current and accurate [1] - Measuring prices compared with the same time a year ago is important due to housing seasonality [1]

Market Transition - The housing market has shifted from a seller's market to a buyer's market, marking the first shift in at least a decade [3] - Sellers are hesitant to lower prices due to concerns about not being able to pay off their mortgages, a situation unseen in 10-15 years [3][11] - The market is expected to remain in limbo until around the time of the Super Bowl, as people pack it in for the holidays and wait to see what direction the housing market will take [5] Factors Influencing Market Behavior - Macroeconomic uncertainty and stock market volatility are causing people to hesitate on making 30-year commitments to new homes [5][6] - Lower interest rates, especially if they drop below 6%, would help the market [6] - Home prices need to adjust, as sales volume is down as much as 50% in some markets, but prices remain relatively stable, creating a standoff between buyers and sellers [7] Regional Cold Spots - Areas that were previously hot, like Florida and Texas, are now experiencing the most stale listings [12] - Over 70% of listings in Florida are stale [11] - The Washington DC area has seen a sharp increase in stale listings, potentially due to government uncertainty [11]

Key Issues - The financial difficulties of young people are illustrated by two charts [1] - The first chart shows the number of employees required to generate $1 million in revenue [1] - The second chart compares home prices to income levels [1]

Core Insights - Home prices in the U.S. rose 1.5% in August year-over-year, a slight decrease from the 1.6% increase in July [1] - The pace of home price increases is lagging behind the current inflation rate of 3%, leading to a real-term erosion of housing wealth for the fourth consecutive month [2] - High mortgage rates have contributed to the stagnation in home prices, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate decreasing from just below 7% in June to 6.19% by the end of August [3] Market Trends - Buyer demand is being negatively impacted by mortgage rates remaining above 6.5%, limiting transaction activity during the typically busy summer season [4] - The New York metropolitan area experienced the highest annual price gain at 6.1%, while cities like Tampa, Phoenix, and Miami saw declines of 3.3%, 1.7%, and 1.7% respectively [5] - Significant price weaknesses were noted in the West, with San Francisco down 1.5%, Denver down 0.7%, and San Diego down 0.7%, indicating a broader trend of declining prices in certain metropolitan areas [5]

Market Analysis - Home prices are down 87% when valued in Bitcoin [1] - The analyst anticipates a further price decrease of 11% in Bitcoin, totaling a 98% reduction from the peak [1] Pricing - The home price is currently $600 thousand [1]

Housing Affordability Crisis - A married couple requires two full-time incomes to afford a home, hindering their ability to save for the future [1] - The focus should shift from mortgage rates to home prices [1] Societal Impact - The current housing situation is unsustainable and contributes to collective nihilism in America [1]

Market Trends - Home prices rose 3%, barely keeping up with inflation [1] - Bitcoin rose 75% [1] Company Positioning - Horizon positions Bitcoin as a store of value, unlike homes [1] - Horizon aims to help users transform their homes into a store of value (presumably through Bitcoin-related services) [1]