REI Lense Blog – page 12
Investors Held About 30% of U.S. Home Purchases in 2025—What That Means for Buyers
Cotality data summarized by HousingWire show investors held about 30% of U.S. single-family home purchases through 2025, with big differences by metro.
6 min read
Existing-Home Sales Slumped in January 2026 Even as Affordability Improved: What the Data Says
January 2026 existing-home sales fell sharply even as affordability improved. Here’s what NAR’s data says about rates, inventory, and demand.
6 min read
Existing-Home Sales Drop 8.4% in January, Even as Affordability Improves: What It Means for Spring 2026
Existing-home sales fell 8.4% in January, but affordability improved to its best level since March 2022 as rates eased and income growth outpaced prices.
6 min read
Why investor-ban headlines may still lead to more renting (built-to-rent carve-outs explained)
Investor restrictions may curb competition for existing homes, but built-to-rent carve-outs can steer capital toward new rental neighborhoods instead of starter homes.
7 min read
What the Housing for the 21st Century Act could change for homebuilding costs in 2026
The House passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act as lawmakers focus on lowering build costs, streamlining reviews, and offsetting impact fees to boost supply.
7 min read
What the Housing for the 21st Century Act Would Change for Housing Supply (Permits, Zoning, Finance)
The House advanced the Housing for the 21st Century Act, a supply-focused package targeting permitting delays, program updates, and financing rules that can unlock more homes.
6 min read
Is the Housing Affordability Crisis Really a Supply Shortage? New Research Points to Demand and Income
New SF Fed research suggests home prices track income-driven demand more than unit counts, even as inventory improves and rates hover near 6%.
7 min read
States and cities move from housing targets to tools: faster permits, missing middle, and gap financing
States and cities are tightening housing affordability tools: faster approvals, missing-middle reforms, gap financing, and new investor guardrails in early 2026.
6 min read
Entry-Level “Trump Homes,” Rent-to-Own, and Investor Caps: What They Mean for U.S. Housing Supply
Builders are pitching entry-level supply and rent-to-own concepts as cities test investor caps and factory-built homes promise faster delivery.
7 min read
What “Trump Homes” Means for Affordability: Rent-to-Own Claims, Builder Pushback, and the Rate Risk
A rent-to-own “Trump Homes” concept is in the news, but builders say no coordinated national program is underway. Here’s what it could mean for prices, rates, and supply.
6 min read
Can Mortgage-Rate Relief Lower Payments Without Driving Home Prices Higher?
A proposed $200B mortgage-bond purchase aims to lower mortgage rates, but analysts warn cheaper financing can lift home prices when inventory is tight.
6 min read
Buyer Power Slowly Returns as Regional Price Growth Cools
Regional cooling is improving buyer leverage: more listings, more price cuts, and softer conditions in parts of the West and Southwest Florida, while some ZIP codes still rise.
6 min read
Local Housing Policy Experiments: What’s Working to Add Supply (and What May Raise Prices)
Cities and states are testing smaller-lot zoning, property-tax relief, adaptive reuse, tiny homes, and sweat-equity programs to improve housing affordability.
6 min read
Why ‘Keeping Home Prices High’ Conflicts With Affordability—and What Actually Moves Payments
Home values and affordability often pull in opposite directions. With 30-year rates near 6%, 2026 relief may come from slower price growth and easing borrowing costs.
7 min read
Why “Keep Prices High, Cut Rates” Keeps Housing Affordability Stuck
Keeping home prices high while relying on lower mortgage rates may protect owner equity but leaves first-time buyer affordability constrained without more supply.
6 min read
Luxury housing stays strong while the rest of the market cools: what the split means in 2026
Mainstream buyers face affordability strain, but luxury demand is more resilient. Here’s what the split market means for pricing and new construction.
6 min read
Record Homebuyer Deal Cancellations, but Prices Still Rise: What the Data Say Heading Into 2026
Redfin data show December home-purchase cancellations surged, while Case-Shiller and FHFA still report modest home price gains heading into 2026.
6 min read
U.S. Home Prices Pick Up Again—But Regional Divergence Is Now the Main Story
FHFA and Case-Shiller show November home prices rising again, but gains are concentrating in the Midwest and Northeast as parts of the South and West cool.
6 min read
Mortgage-rate stimulus vs. supply fixes: what the newest housing-cost proposals could mean
New housing-cost proposals split between faster mortgage-payment relief and slower supply expansion. Here’s what each could mean for affordability and inventory.
7 min read
Investor scrutiny on single-family home buying: why build-to-rent may be the near-term winner
A new executive order increases scrutiny of bulk single-family home buying, potentially shifting competition in starter-home markets and supporting build-to-rent development.
6 min read
Home Prices Are Flat in Some Metros—So Why Does Affordability Still Feel Worse?
Prices may be flat in some metros, but high rates and an entry-level supply gap keep U.S. homeownership affordability strained.
6 min read
Institutional Landlords Face Growing Scrutiny in Single-Family Rentals—What the Data Actually Shows
Institutional landlords are under renewed scrutiny. Research finds mixed impacts, with ownership concentrated in certain metros and neighborhoods.
7 min read
Rent caps, disclosure mandates, and enforcement: the new front line in U.S. rental housing
Rent caps and tenant disclosure rules are tightening in key U.S. markets. Here’s what changes in LA, NYC, and Washington mean for rents and operations.
7 min read
Algorithmic Rent-Setting Is Under Pressure: What New Settlements and State Bans Mean
Settlements and new state rules are tightening how rent-setting algorithms can use nonpublic competitor data and shape pricing in U.S. apartment markets.
6 min read