Monthly housing payments have declined nearly $300 from April’s all-time high. Improving affordability has yet to push up pending sales, but that could change after the Fed cut interest rates for the first time since 2020 this week. The median U.S. housing payment was $2,534 during the four weeks ending September 15, down 2.7% from READ MORE

AuthorSteph Matarazzo.  Date: September 19, 2024 8:47 am Getting ready to sell your home can be both stressful and exciting, especially in markets where homes are selling quickly and at high prices. Despite high prices, California is a desirable place not only to live, given its abundant sunshine, beaches, and cultural amenities but also to READ MORE

The Fed split the difference, relative to market expectations, by cutting rates by 50 bps today, but projecting only more gradual cuts from here on out. Mortgage rates are unlikely to move much today as markets had priced in aggressive expectations for rate cuts ahead of time. The Fed chose the more aggressive of two READ MORE

Sales of existing homes dropped 1% month over month in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 million, while pending sales fell 2%. Declining mortgage rates are giving buyers more purchasing power, but some house hunters are waiting on the sidelines in hopes that rates will fall further. Others are hesitant to buy READ MORE

AuthorBill Gassett.  Date: September 17, 2024 2:18 pm Expert Advice! Learn to negotiate real estate commissions from a Realtor with decades of experience. Honest, practical tips. The post How to Negotiate Real Estate Commissions appeared first on FastExpert.

Home prices grew 0.5% month over month in August, the fastest pace since April. On a year-over-year basis, home prices rose 6.7%, the smallest annual increase since January. 20 of the 50 most populous U.S. metros recorded a drop in home prices month over month. U.S. home prices grew 0.5% in August on a seasonally READ MORE

AuthorMargo Christophilis.  Date: September 17, 2024 1:53 am I’m a Realtor. Discover the best places to retire in Washington with vibrant communities, diverse landscapes, and a milder climate. The post Discover the Best Places to Retire in Washington State appeared first on FastExpert.

Redfin is closing out the summer strong by welcoming another great group of Newfins! The talented agents who joined us in August come from all corners of the industry, from boutique luxury firms to big homebuilders. And I’m always especially excited for those returning to Redfin after some time away. Whether it’s day one or READ MORE

Today, the National Association of Realtors is considering proposals advanced by traditional brokers to undo the Clear Cooperation policy against pocket listings. This would hurt consumers. Listing Cooperation Creates an Open, Fair Market Buyers want to see all the homes for sale. Sellers want their listings to reach the most buyers. Studies show that sellers READ MORE

Mortgage-rate locks for second homes have dropped 13% since last summer—more than twice as much as rate locks for primary homes. Demand for second-home mortgages is likely cooling in part because some buyers are paying in cash to avoid elevated mortgage rates. But high prices, economic jitters and a sluggish rental market have also made READ MORE

Falling mortgage rates have pushed the median U.S. housing payment down near its lowest level since January, but pending home sales have yet to improve. Many would-be buyers are hoping rates fall further, and others are waiting for clarity around the new NAR rules. The median U.S. monthly housing payment was $2,558 during the four READ MORE

AuthorAaron Gray, Sr..  Date: September 11, 2024 5:24 pm Keep the budget in check and reduce housing costs in retirement with these straightforward tips on how to C.U.T.C.O.S.T.S. The post Reducing Housing Costs in Retirement appeared first on FastExpert.

A touch-hotter-than-anticipated August CPI report nudges the Fed toward a 25 bps rate cut at its meeting next week. However, inflation remains cool enough that the Fed could still surprise with a 50 bps cut to get ahead of further weakness in the labor market or simply project the possibility of larger cuts down the READ MORE

This was originally published to Forbes on July 30, 2025. The pros and cons of owning a home versus renting one are changing along with the climate. Aspiring homeowners are already grappling with rising mortgage rates, record-high home prices and near-record rent prices, and now they’re having to factor risk from natural disasters and skyrocketing insurance costs into their READ MORE

This was originally published to Forbes on August 29, 2024. The housing market is poised for a dynamic shift this fall, driven by recent declines in mortgage rates and the Federal Reserve’s anticipated rate cuts. This presents challenges for both buyers and sellers who want to time the market. Here’s what homebuyers and sellers can READ MORE

The median asking rent climbed for the fifth consecutive month, up 0.9% year over year to $1,645. Rents dropped 17.9% in Austin—more than any other metro Redfin analyzed. East Coast and Midwest metros saw the steepest increases. Asking rents for 0-1 and 2 bedroom apartments remained flat, while 3+ bedroom apartments fell 1.7%. The median READ MORE

A few weeks after the new NAR rules went into effect, Redfin agents report some homebuyers and sellers are confused about fee agreements and who is responsible for paying the buyer’s agent. Once they understand the guidelines, most sellers are still willing to cover the buyside commission–but negotiation has become more common in some markets READ MORE

It’s official – we’re taking our Redfin Next agent pay plan nationwide! Starting October 27th, all Redfin agents will earn competitive splits as high as 75%, have virtually all business expenses covered, and get technology, support, benefits and customer introductions from Redfin.com, the #1 brokerage site in the United States.  We’re fully committing to Redfin READ MORE

A glass half-full/half-empty August jobs report failed to point the Fed clearly to a 25 or 50 bps cut on September 18. Rates will stay fairly steady until markets receive clearer signals from the Fed on their intended path. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 142,000 jobs were added in August, below expectations of READ MORE

In San Jose, the typical recent grad would need to spend 28% of their income to rent the median priced 2 bedroom apartment with a roommate. That’s down from 31% in 2023, which was considered unaffordable because it was above the 30% affordability threshold. The story is similar in San Francisco and Sacramento.  Nationwide, the READ MORE