REI Lense Blog – page 9
Local governments ramp up affordable housing: the new mix of units, vouchers, and on-the-ground outreach
Cities and counties are pairing affordable unit pipelines with preservation tools and hands-on outreach like housing fairs to help residents access support.
6 min read
U.S. Housing Affordability: Build-to-Rent Limits, Senior Repair Costs, and New Paths Into Housing
Affordability efforts span build-to-rent rules, senior home repair preservation, local housing fairs, and fractional investing—each with distinct supply and cost impacts.
6 min read
U.S. real home prices hit records, but Zillow’s forecast goes flat—what it means for 2026 buyers
Inflation-adjusted home prices remain near record highs, but Zillow’s latest forecast calls for flat national pricing through spring 2027, with big metro differences.
7 min read
Why U.S. home prices are diverging in 2026 (and what to watch next)
Zillow and Redfin data show U.S. home price growth cooling in 2026 as inventory rises, with metro-level divergence and a flatter forecast outlook.
6 min read
U.S. Home Price Growth Hits a Post-2012 Low, But Local Markets Are Moving in Opposite Directions
March 2026 data show U.S. home-price growth at its weakest pace since 2012, with Texas softness offset by pockets of strength in other metros.
6 min read
Local U.S. housing markets diverge in 2026: why some prices slip while others stay firm
Early-2026 data show U.S. housing is increasingly local, with some counties seeing price dips and slower sales while others stay firm amid higher rates.
7 min read
Why affordability is squeezing young adults, service members, and veterans at the same time
High home prices and thin starter-home inventory are keeping many young adults and military-connected households sidelined, even as rates eased in April 2026.
7 min read
Early Signs of U.S. Home Price Softening: Why Some Metros Are Down While Others Keep Rising
U.S. home-price growth is cooling as spring listings rise and more metros show flat or falling prices, even while tighter-supply regions keep gaining.
6 min read
Sun Belt Price Drops vs. Rust Belt Gains: What 2026 Home Price Data Say About the New Housing Map
2026 home value data show more Sun Belt metros slipping year over year while many Rust Belt and Midwest markets keep gaining, largely due to diverging inventory.
7 min read
Sun Belt Home Prices Cool While Midwest/Rust Belt Gains Lead in 2026: What Buyers Should Watch
April 2026 data show home values cooling in several Sun Belt metros while select Midwest/Rust Belt cities lead gains. Here’s what buyers should track.
7 min read
Equity-Rich Boomers Are Dominating the Resale Market—and First-Time Buyers Are at a Record Low
NAR’s 2026 generational data shows baby boomers dominating buying and selling while first-time buyers fall to a record-low share, reshaping resale competition.
6 min read
Spring 2026 Home Sales Are Slumping—But High Prices Haven’t Cracked
March 2026 existing-home sales fell to a 3.98M pace, but the median price hit a record for March as inventory improved only modestly.
7 min read
A new 10 million-home shortage estimate: what the blueprint says, and what could actually change
A federal analysis estimates a 10 million-home shortfall and argues cutting permitting, zoning, and other cost drivers could boost construction as mortgage rates stay elevated.
7 min read
Why Rising Debt Could Keep Mortgage Rates High (Even If Home Prices Cool)
Rising federal borrowing can keep Treasury yields elevated, limiting mortgage-rate relief and prolonging U.S. housing affordability strain even if price growth cools.
7 min read
New Jersey Breaks From the Cooling U.S. Housing Market as Prices Keep Rising Fast
National home-price growth has flattened and price cuts are rising, but New Jersey remains a standout with the fastest appreciation and tight inventory.
6 min read
U.S. Home Price Growth Cools as Record Share of Sellers Cut Asking Prices (Spring 2026)
U.S. home price growth is slowing in 2026 as a record share of sellers cut list prices, improving buyer leverage in many Sun Belt metros while some Midwest markets stay firm.
8 min read
Why the U.S. housing market feels frozen in 2026 (and what it means for buyers and housing-adjacent businesses)
U.S. home-price growth is flattening in early 2026 as mortgage rates stay elevated. Here’s how that’s shifting buyer leverage, local markets, and housing-related spending.
7 min read
Why the U.S. housing supply shortage keeps deepening: underbuilding, rules, and rising build costs
New reports and local case studies show why the U.S. housing shortage persists: long-run underbuilding, approval friction, tight inventory, and higher construction inputs.
7 min read
How Cities Are Responding to the Housing Shortage: Zoning Changes, Vacant-Lot Incentives, and Starter-Home Programs
Cities are rolling out zoning pilots and vacant-lot starter-home programs to add supply and preserve affordability for first-time buyers.
6 min read
Spring 2026 housing market: more listings and price cuts, but rate volatility keeps buyers on edge
Spring 2026 housing looks more balanced with higher inventory and more price cuts, but mortgage-rate volatility could quickly reverse affordability gains.
7 min read
Spring 2026 Housing Market: Listings Rise, Bidding Wars Ease, and Buyers Regain Some Leverage
Spring 2026 housing data show rising listings and easing competition, but higher mortgage rates are limiting affordability and keeping markets uneven.
7 min read
Spring housing is getting more negotiable—until mortgage rate volatility steps back in
More inventory and price cuts are improving buyer leverage this spring, but a quick rise in mortgage rates is reshaping affordability.
7 min read
Inventory is up and prices are easing—so why spring home sales still feel stuck
Mortgage rates climbed back to 6.46%, offsetting improving inventory and modest price relief and keeping spring home sales slower than usual.
6 min read
Mortgage rates climb for a fifth week, and the monthly payment is rising again
Mortgage rates rose for a fifth straight week, pushing monthly payments higher and adding friction to spring homebuying as affordability tightens.
7 min read