Housing, Money & Careers

Pending Home Sales Rebound

• 🔥 Unexpected 1.8% MoM Rise: National Association of Realtors pending home sales index rose 1.8% month-over-month to...

• Demand rebounds: Pending sales unexpectedly rose 1.8% to 72.1
• Prices soften: Flat 0.0% MoM, down 0.2% YoY
• Median at $376K, annual growth slows to just 0.2%

Uneven recovery creates buyer leverage as demand rises but prices cool.

Investor alert: Kitti Sisters question if private credit will crash real estate, spotlighting vulnerabilities in construction finance.

• Signed...

Signal for future housing supply:

• Sentiment improved via NAHB Housing Market Index
• Rates improving provide a lift
• Affordability remains a big constraint

Monitor permits vs. starts drag for supply outlook.

• Stagflation alert: Growth halved, prices revised higher, consumer spending down from 2.3 to 1.3 points.
• Rate swings: Mortgages hit 6.41% then...

February pending home sales rose 1.8% MoM nationally but fell 0.8% YoY:

• Midwest leads with +4.6% MoM (most affordable), despite slight YoY dip;
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Rate volatility's timeline on housing demand:

• Pending sales climbed in February—first rise in 3 months—as buyers grabbed lower mortgage rates and...

Chicago's market heats up in March 2026:

• Prices rising amid inventory shortages, but affordability improving for buyers.
• Senate passes 21st...

Two views clash on 6% rates: tight supply and high payments vs. deal-making opportunities.

• Squeeze persists: Monthly payments and income needs...

US home prices are forecast to rise just 1.8% this year and 2.5% in 2027—well below the key inflation gauge tracked by the Fed—as 30-year mortgage rates stick near 6%. A cooling market for buyers.

2026 inventory rise empowers buyers:

• Gain more time to decide
• Access better options
• Boost negotiating power vs. limited supply competition

Trend alert: Five-bedroom homes are losing value rapidly in 10 US cities due to oversupply, slower demand, and rising costs.

• South/West leading:...

Builder Sentiment and Sales Trends

• 🔥 NAHB Index Rises to 38: The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index rose to 38 in March, but builders...

Builder sentiment shows a modest lift, yet challenges persist:

• NAHB/Wells Fargo Index up 1 point to 38 in March, below breakeven 50 for 23 months
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Mortgage rates aren't set by the Fed – that's a myth.

Key drivers:

• Bond market (mortgage-backed securities) dictates rates, reacting to inflation...

• Core PCE spikes to 3.1% in January from 2.6% prior; headline at 3.5% annualized Nov-Jan, 2.8% yearly.
• Middle East conflict triggers oil shock,...

Mortgage rates near 5.9% spark refinancing interest amid volatility. Key reasons and tips to evaluate:

• Lower payments: Drop from >6.5% to save...

Tougher times for Arlington sellers:

• Median sale price fell to $695K in Feb 2026, down 9.59% YoY.
• Homes now take 36 days to sell, up from 22 last...

Mortgage Rate Surge

• 🔥 Rates Hit 5-Month High: Mortgage rates climbed again on March 16, 2026, reaching a 5-month high with the 30-year fixed...

• Buyers gaining edge: Slowing home price growth, rising inventory in regions, and lower mortgage rates boost options and power.
• Spring 2026...