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High mortgage rates, low inventory keep the housing market tight

Feb 19, 2024
High interest rates and limited inventory are key factors in restricting affordability.
The "mortgage lock-in effect" is part of what's keeping the inventory of homes on the market low right now.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Will 2024 be the year the housing market gets slightly less tough?

Dec 27, 2023
High mortgage costs, low supply of houses for purchase and high rents made for a pretty bleak year. But there's a glimmer of light on the horizon.
“Single-family houses are starting to seem like a luxury good," said Chris Mayer of Columbia Business School.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

U.S. asking rents decline (slightly), but continue to rise in some regions

Jul 28, 2023
Asking rents are down 1% nationally, though they're still rising in some regions.
A man watches apartment construction in Austin, Texas. The increase in apartment supply is one reason for cooling rents.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Homebuilders are feeling a bit more confident

Jul 18, 2023
Builders find there's high demand for new developments, but they're also finding it harder to convince banks to loan them money.
Despite increased confidence, homebuilders still face a number of challenges. One of those challenges is getting a loan.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Asylum seekers are overwhelming shelters in some cities — can rental assistance help?

Jul 13, 2023
In Chicago, a lack of affordable housing, unwilling landlords and overstretched nonprofits can make the wait for an apartment a long one.
A truck filled with secondhand furniture at Chicago Furniture Bank's Brighton Park warehouse waits to be driven to deliveries across the city on June 14, 2023.
Tessa Weinberg for Marketplace

Supply of low-cost apartments dwindled over last decade, study says

Jul 7, 2023
Ultra-cheap rentals declined in every state, especially in Texas and North Carolina, where renters from more expensive markets are moving.
States like Texas, above, and North Carolina had a particularly sharp drop in low-cost apartments.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Rent is still high, but new leases reflect a cooling market

Jun 14, 2023
In Monday's Consumer Price Index report, rent prices rose 8.7% year-over-year in May. That sounds like a lot, but here's why that number isn't a reliable indicator of where rental prices are headed.
Allison Dinner/Getty Images

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There are now only 4 major U.S. cities where buying is cheaper than renting

May 25, 2023
That's good news if you're looking to buy in Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland or Houston, but what about the rest of us?
Even if monthly mortgage payments are higher than comparable rent, "you get the benefit of building up wealth," said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

What high mortgage rates have to do with your rent

Apr 11, 2023
Rising mortgage rates have kept would-be buyers renting — straining the supply of available apartments and pushing prices up.
Despite slowing rent inflation, high mortgage rates are keeping some would-be homebuyers in apartments — which can increase competition and boost the cost of rent.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Rent hikes are finally easing — except for renters who can afford it the least

Mar 21, 2023
Rents at the bottom of the market, where supply is tighter relative to demand, have risen faster than those of higher-priced properties.
Rent price growth is stuck at around 8.5% for lower-priced renters, well above the increases in other segments of the market.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images