“Closing was very emotional,” said Savannah Melendez of Anchorage, Alaska. “I remember at one point looking over and seeing tears in my mom's eyes, and that I had to bite my cheeks to not cry with her.”

After booming early in the pandemic, apartment construction has fallen off. That means fewer new units and higher rents in the coming years.

Sales rose nearly 8% compared to a year earlier.

Would-be buyers are worried about inflation — and watching their 401(k)s dwindle.

“My mortgage loan guy said the VA would have denied us getting the amount of the loan that we wanted without my wife's income in part as well,” said Eric Reineman. Two weeks later, they tied the knot.

More home sellers are having to sweeten the deal, with things like mortgage rate buy downs, or shelling out to pay for home repairs.

We check back in with Waleed Delawari of Delawari Investment Group, a builder who is rebuilding his own home, lost in the Eaton fire.

“I started to learn how to attack things on our credit reports that did not look great in the eyes of lenders,” said Nyeisha Brooks, a first-time homeowner.

More homes are up for sale, but potential buyers have economic uncertainty-induced cold feet. Plus: shrimp, federal food aid and rent subsidies.

For many sellers, the need to move is more important than keeping a low-interest mortgage.