Freddie and Fannie have been growing their mortgage bond holdings in recent months, but the 30-year fixed mortgage is still above 6%.

If you’re shopping for a home, 2026 could offer new opportunities. Some markets, including parts of Florida, began shifting from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market in 2025. That trend may strengthen in 2026, depending on location. Even in competitive areas, buyers may have more leverage than in recent years.

The housing market faces dual pressure as fewer Americans apply for mortgages while lenders reduce loan programs and increase documentation requirements.

Inventory is back to normal and mortgage rates are forecast between 5.75% and 6.75%, shaping a steadier housing market in 2026.

A new analysis from Realtor.com considers what it would take to restore home affordability back to 2019 levels.

The housing market's actually setting up for something real right now,” finance expert Michael Ryan told Newsweek.

Buyers are getting a break thanks to falling mortgage rates and easing growth in home prices, but affordability concerns persist.

Mortgage rates remain steady near 6.4% as analysts predict a 14% increase in 2026 home sales and tighter mortgage spreads.

A new analysis from ATTOM, the Q3 2025 U.S. Housing Risk Report, identifies the county-level housing markets most vulnerable to downturns in the third quarter of 2025, highlighting persistent affordability pressures,

That's among U.S. real estate agents surveyed by ResiClub and Zoodealio—and the share is even higher among agents based in the West (90%).