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Real Estate

Trump’s 50-year mortgage would save you about $119 a month while doubling the interest you pay over the long run, UBS estimates

A proposal floated by the Trump administration to create a 50-year mortgage product to improve housing affordability could offer significant immediate savings to homebuyers, but at the steep cost of a doubled interest payment burden over the life of the loan, according to a recent analysis by John Lovallo of UBS Securities.Recommended VideoCaveating that many basic questions remain unanswered, a back-of-the-envelope calculation shows a clear trad...

Sarah Jones in Real Estate 2025-12-31 06:56:41

The ‘Great Housing Reset’ is coming: Income growth will outpace home-price growth in 2026, Redfin forecasts

Homebuyers may experience a reprieve in 2026 as price normalization and an increase in home sales over the next year will take some pressure off the market—but don’t expect homebuying to be affordable in the short run for Gen Z and young families.Recommended VideoThe “Great Housing Reset” will start next year, with income growth outpacing home-price growth for a prolonged period for the first time since the Great Recession era, according to a Red...

John Smith in Real Estate 2026-01-14 08:39:20

Gen Zers are flocking to these Midwest housing markets where homes are about 30% cheaper than the coasts

Younger generations are looking to the Midwest for homeownershipbecause of the region’s significantly lower housing costs compared to major coastal cities. Many Midwest metros have median home prices well below the national average, while also offering a lower cost of living. As a result, some Midwest cities have higher rates of young homeowners.Younger generations are typically associated with wanting to live a big-city lifestyle, but the high c...

Michael Brown in Real Estate 2026-01-09 15:57:01

The housing market is no longer a wealth-building engine as home prices continue to slump

Home prices aren’t keeping up with inflation, representing a drag on wealth in real terms, according to S&P Global. That’s as home prices have been falling on a monthly basis, while President Donald Trump’s tariffs have kept inflation sticky and still-high mortgage rates have weighed on demand.High home prices and mortgage rates have created unaffordable conditions for many Americans, but the housing market’s ability to create more wealth has...

Michael Davis in Real Estate 2026-01-09 18:57:11

Zillow is the target of a massive infringement lawsuit that could force it to pay north of $1 billion in damages

The owner of Homes.com is suing Zillow for allegedly infringing more than 46,000 copyrighted photos. The suit seeks “a substantial award of damages,” which could top $1 billion. CoStar’s CEO also threatened Realtor.com and Redfin with similar suits.CoStar Group, the owner of Homes.com, Apartments.com, and several other real-estate websites, is suing Zillow, alleging the company has displayed tens of thousand of copyrighted photos on its sites.The...

Michael Brown in Real Estate 2025-12-30 12:48:25

Paris Hilton took out a mortgage on the $63 million mansion she bought from Mark Wahlberg. Here’s why that’s actually a smart financial decision

Despite Paris Hilton’s high net worth,she and her husband reportedly took out a $43.75 million mortgage for their $63 million Beverly Hills mansion, a move more common among ultrawealthy individuals than one may think. Experts say wealthy buyers often keep their cash liquid and use mortgages as a strategic tool to maximize flexibility and invest in higher-yield opportunities.Considering Paris Hilton is worth an estimated $300 million to $400 mill...

Michael Davis in Real Estate 2026-01-02 21:11:28

‘Just another nail in the coffin for rural areas’: Affordable housing program faces the axe under Trump’s tax, budget cuts

Heather Colley and her two children moved four times over five years as they fled high rents in eastern Tennessee, which, like much of rural America, hasn’t been spared from soaring housing costs.Recommended VideoA family gift in 2021 of a small plot of land offered a shot at homeownership, but building a house was beyond reach for the 45-year-old single mother and manicurist making $18.50 an hour.That changed when she qualified for $272,000...

Jennifer Brown in Real Estate 2026-01-25 00:27:04

Condo feud erupts on Miami’s Fisher Island over $180 million lot

Investors including billionaire Jorge Perez have plans to build luxury condo towers on a lot they bought for $180 million on Fisher Island in South Florida. Miami-Dade County officials, suddenly panicked about the effect on the local economy, are trying to stop them. Recommended VideoThe parcel is the last sliver of land available for high-end residential development on the posh island, which was recently named the most expensive Z...

John Johnson in Real Estate 2025-12-27 11:43:34

Florida’s housing market was skewed wildly by the pandemic. It’s finally coming to grips with a ‘realistic middle ground’

The housing market in Florida is in the midst of a major change: Inventory is down for the first time in 110 weeks, according to Compass chief economist Mike Simonsen. But it’s not for the reason you might think.Recommended VideoFlorida’s housing market was one of the hottest during the pandemic due to the state’s appeal to remote workers, retirees, and investors who relocated from high-cost states like New York and California seeking more space,...

Jane Smith in Real Estate 2026-01-05 09:51:02

The housing market, workers, and the economy are all stuck

The number of U.S. homes that typically change hands as people relocate for work, retire or trade-up for more living space hasn’t been this low in nearly 30 years.Recommended VideoAbout 28 out of every 1,000 homes changed hands between January and September, the lowest U.S. home turnover rate going back to at least the 1990s, according to an analysis by Redfin.The home turnover rate represents the number of homes sold, divided by the total number...

Emily Johnson in Real Estate 2026-01-20 01:57:36

Even a 1% mortgage rate drop could be enough to ‘unlock’ the frozen housing market, Oxford Economics says

Mortgage ratesare currently in the high 6% range, and a drop back to the pandemic-era sub-3% levels is considered unrealistic by economists. However, a modest decline in rates to below 6% could motivate some homeowners to sell, potentially thawing the frozen housing market constrained by homeowners holding onto low-rate mortgages.If you’re waiting for mortgage rates to fall to around 3% to buy a home, don’t hold your breath. The likelihood mortga...

Robert Davis in Real Estate 2026-01-04 09:16:05

The U.S. housing market is ‘finally starting to listen’ to homebuyers plagued by high mortgage rates and home prices, economist says

Housing affordability in the U.S.has improved slightly in 2025 due to mortgage rates trending down and home price growth flattening or declining in some markets, though conditions are still much more difficult than before the pandemic. A First American analysis shows a 3.1% year-over-year gain in affordability. However, most Americans still find homeownership challenging.After years of affordability challenges for buyers in the U.S., the housing ...

Emily Smith in Real Estate 2026-01-06 01:20:39

Americans say $74,000 a year is the ‘perfect salary.’ But that would make buying a house affordable in only two states

A $74,000 salaryis above the national median and enough to comfortably cover rent in most U.S. cities, but it still falls short of affording a median-priced home in nearly every state. Monthly mortgage payments often exceed the one‑third income threshold, even for households earning nearly double that “ideal” salary. Experts say the bigger obstacle isn’t just today’s mortgage rates, but persistently high home prices fueled by tight inventory and ...

Robert Johnson in Real Estate 2026-01-11 16:50:14

In a frozen luxury housing market, buyers are asking to ‘try before you buy’ and having sleepovers in multimillion-dollar mansions

Luxury homeownersare increasingly struggling to sell at desired prices, prompting a rise in creative tactics like sleepover trials and steep price cuts. New taxes in areas like Los Angeles and Cape Cod make luxury transactions even more costly, forcing sellers to be more mindful and flexible with pricing strategies.In today’s luxury housing market, it’s become increasingly difficult to sell for what the homeowner might think the home is worth—and...

Emily Miller in Real Estate 2025-12-31 01:20:16

A risky mortgage instrument that helped spark the Global Financial Crisis is on the rise again. It’s a gamble on the Fed’s future direction

A risky mortgage instrument that helped spark the Global Financial Crisis is on the rise, but three things are different this time around.Recommended VideoAdjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), once the villain of the subprime meltdown, are surging in popularity as homebuyers look for savings in a high-rate era. The share of ARMs reached nearly 13% of all mortgage applications this fall, per the Mortgage Bankers Association, the highest level since 20...

John Jones in Real Estate 2026-01-03 03:34:31

The price premium on new-construction homes is dissolving. New-home prices dropped in 30% of large U.S. cities last quarter

Housing costs have surged more than 50% since the pandemic,but the traditional price gap where new-construction homes cost significantly more than existing homes has narrowed. There are notable price drops and incentives, especially in the South and West, making new homes more affordable. Furthermore, new homes often provide better value per square foot, and builders tend to offer incentives.No matter the type of home you buy, housing has become ...

Emily Davis in Real Estate 2026-01-09 13:30:02

‘Quiet luxury’ is coming for the housing market, The Corcoran Group CEO says. It’s not just the Hamptons, Aspen, and Miami anymore

Today’s luxury housing marketis expanding from grand, extravagant mansions toward “quiet luxury,” emphasizing understated comfort, according to Pamela Liebman, CEO of The Corcoran Group. This trend includes smaller, high-end homes and with buyers favoring places that offer meaningful features over sheer size or clout.While people have different definitions for luxury, the word typically elicits extravagance, grandeur, and exclusivity. And in the ...

John Jones in Real Estate 2026-01-24 11:48:32

Oakley’s billionaire founder is the latest victim of the sluggish luxury housing market—but the profit he could still make shows an underlying problem

James Jannard, the billionaire founder of Oakley, has re-listed his Beverly Hills megamansion for $65 million, down from the original $68 million price listing from June 2024. Despite the price drop, Jannard stands to make a significant profit since he purchased the property for $19.9 million in 2009. This trend of wealthy sellers, including Jannard, dropping prices highlights a broader market correction where luxury buyers prioritize value and l...

Jennifer Miller in Real Estate 2026-01-24 12:46:44

Mark Zuckerberg gifted noise-canceling headphones to his Palo Alto neighbors because of the nonstop construction around his 11 homes

Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg has been rankling his neighborsin Palo Alto as he works on expanding and modifying the 11 homes that he has purchased in the area. To smooth over tensions, theNew York Timessays Zuckerberg gifted his next-door neighbors noise-canceling headphones as a peace offering.Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire cofounder of Facebook and CEO of Meta, reportedly gave noise-canceling headphones to his neighbors in the Crescent Park ne...

Sarah Williams in Real Estate 2026-01-13 14:19:27

Trump calls his 50-year mortgage idea ‘not even a big deal’ while insisting ‘the economy is the strongest it’s ever been’

President Donald Trump played down the significance of his proposed 50-year mortgage plan in a recent interview, calling it “not even a big deal… it might help a little bit,” during a segment on Fox News with Laura Ingraham. The idea, which aims to extend mortgage terms for Americans, has triggered a wave of criticism across the political spectrum, as Ingraham noted, with some labeling it a financial trap for homebuyers and a windfall for banks.R...

Jane Williams in Real Estate 2025-12-30 23:09:04

A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury

A quaint, 37-home neighborhood an hour from Miami is attracting moneyed residents, including actor Mark Wahlberg, despite not having a private golf club or coastline—instead its major selling point is privacy and a well-trained security staff of former military and police.Recommended VideoStone Creek Ranch, located in Delray Beach, Fla., is one of the hottest new neighborhoods for the ultra rich, but it didn’t always start out that way. The devel...

Emily Williams in Real Estate 2026-01-16 17:09:19

30-year mortgage rate holds steady at lowest level in nearly 10 months

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage held steady this week at its lowest level in nearly 10 months, an encouraging sign for prospective homebuyers who have been held back by stubbornly high home financing costs.Recommended VideoThe long-term rate was unchanged from last week at 6.58%, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.46%.Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refina...

Robert Johnson in Real Estate 2026-01-01 02:50:56

This 38-year-old used to be homeless and now pays $19 per month for an apartment over an LA subway station thanks to affordable housing

After years of living on the street and crashing on friends’ couches, Quantavia Smith was given the keys to a studio apartment in Los Angeles that came with an important perk — easy access to public transit.Recommended VideoThe 38-year-old feels like she went from a life where “no one cares” to one where she has a safe place to begin rebuilding her life. And the metro station the apartment complex was literally built upon is a lifeline as sh...

Jane Brown in Real Estate 2026-01-11 19:13:48

The mortgage rate decline it would take to make an average home affordable is ‘unrealistic,’ Zillow says

Since the pandemic, U.S. mortgage rateshave risen dramatically. This surge, combined with historically high home prices, has tanked housing affordability, with first-time homebuyer rates falling to half the historical average. Even a substantial drop in mortgage rates would not restore housing affordability for most Americans.During the pandemic, one of the few things people enjoyed were low mortgage rates. From spring 2020 through 2021, mortgage...

David Williams in Real Estate 2026-01-08 04:24:01

Self-made millionaire Barbara Corcoran reveals her ‘golden rule’ of real estate investing

Barbara Corcoran is renowned for her heart-over-head investment decisions—and for bucking conventional finance wisdom, including proudly not saving a “dime” of her substantial wealth. But she must be doing something right, considering she’s worth about $100 million, and she revealed some keys to her success in real estate.Recommended VideoCorcoran appeared on theBiggerPockets Real Estate Podcastwith her son Tom Higgins to describe two methods she...

Jennifer Smith in Real Estate 2025-12-31 00:18:31

Deal emerges from antitrust lawsuit that alleged landlords used pricing software for ‘algorithmic collusion’ to drive up rent

Landlords could no longer rely on rent-pricing software to quietly track each other’s moves and push rents higher using confidential data, under a settlement between RealPage Inc. and federal prosecutors to end what critics said was illegal “algorithmic collusion.”Recommended VideoThe deal announced Monday by the Department of Justice follows a yearlong federal antitrust lawsuit, launched during the Biden administration, against the Texas-ba...

Jennifer Brown in Real Estate 2025-12-26 16:03:54

A staggering 84% of Gen Z say they’re delaying milestones to buy a house. There’s ‘no single fix’ for the affordability crisis, real estate exec says

The American Dream of buying a home is still alive, but the path to get there looks very different from decades past. Recommended VideoA Coldwell Banker report shared withFortuneshows a staggering 84% of Gen Z say they’re delaying major life milestones like getting married, having children, changing careers, and getting a pet, just to afford to buy a home.Harris Poll surveyed more than 3,000 U.S. adults on behalf of residential and commercia...

John Johnson in Real Estate 2026-01-23 02:23:05

New home inventory is at its highest level since just before the housing market collapse that led to the Great Recession, but that doesn’t mean it’s the same market

The U.S. housing market’s inventory is growing, putting pressure on prices and slowing new construction, according to fresh research from the Bank of America Institute. As of June, existing-home supply reached 4.7 months, the highest level since July 2016. New-home supply surged even further to 9.8 months—its highest point since 2022—highlighting how quickly inventory is building across the housing market.Recommended VideoThe influx of available ...

Jane Miller in Real Estate 2026-01-04 22:59:56

Cape Cod is considering taxing luxury home sales of $2+ million to raise funds for the housing market’s ‘missing middle’

Cape Cod, one of the priciest housing markets in the U.S., is considering a 2% real-estate transfer fee on luxury homes above $2 million to fund affordable housing. Similar “mansion taxes” in Los Angeles and Rhode Island show how other expensive markets are turning to surcharges on wealthy homeowners to redistribute housing wealth.Cape Cod is one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S. While the median home price in the beachy region of...

Sarah Jones in Real Estate 2025-12-30 07:43:22

Not even a 0% mortgage rate would make buying a house affordable in these 6 U.S. cities

Housing affordability in the U.S.remains at crisis levels due to a combination of stubbornly high mortgage rates and home prices. Even if mortgage rates dropped substantially, the core problem is persistently high prices, particularly in major metro areas. Affordable inventory remains tight as current homeowners hold onto low-rate mortgages.There are several factors affecting housing affordability in the U.S.—and stubbornly high mortgage rates ar...

David Davis in Real Estate 2026-01-18 20:18:52

Existing home sales inch up in July on modest pullback in mortgage rates

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in July as homebuyers were encouraged by a modest pullback in mortgage rates, slowing home price growth and the most properties on the market in over five years.Recommended VideoExisting home sales rose 2% last month from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.01 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.Sales edged up 0.8% compared with July last year. The latest sales ...

Sarah Brown in Real Estate 2026-01-10 02:58:10

Black Friday deals aren’t just for holiday shopping. Homebuyers are getting record-high discounts as desperate sellers offer multiple price cuts

After the spring selling season flopped, the housing market is finally heating up in the colder autumn months as sellers slash prices more aggressively.Recommended VideoWhile the typical individual discount remains $10,000, sellers are increasingly offering multiple reductions as tepid demand leaves homes on the market for longer, according to Zillow. As a result, the cumulative price cut in October hit $25,000, matching the largest discount...

John Miller in Real Estate 2026-01-08 19:30:07

‘There is no Mamdani effect’: Manhattan luxury home sales surge after mayoral election, undercutting predictions of doom and escape to Florida

Escape From New Yorkisn’t just the title of a 1981 pulp classic starring Kurt Russell. It’s what Westchester County and Florida realtors told the world (includingFortune) about what would happen if Gotham elected a socialist mayor. But it’s time for a sequel with a different title. Recommended VideoIn the aftermath of much well-heeled panic about a potential mass exodus of New York millionaires and billionaires following the election of Zohr...

Jane Smith in Real Estate 2026-01-20 18:55:44

The U.S. housing market is in spooky season: 15% of home sellers are getting ghosted by buyers

Halloween is just about a week away, but spooky season started early for the U.S. housing market. Recommended VideoIn September, more than 53,000 home-purchase agreements were canceled—or 15% of all homes under contract, according to Redfin data released Wednesday. That’s nearly a 14% jump from the same time last year. The housing markets with the highest percentage of pending sales that fell out of contract include: Minneapolis (1...

Sarah Davis in Real Estate 2026-01-02 17:43:53

The 10 hottest ZIP codes of 2025, according to Realtor.com

Beverly, Massachusetts is the nation’s hottest ZIP code, according to a study by Realtor.com. Houses in the area sell in just 16 days. The Northeast boasts seven of the 10 hottest ZIP codes this year.While the housing market, overall, has seen better days, some areas are still doing well.Realtor.com has issued its study of the country’s hottest ZIP codes—and if you’re looking to sell and live in the Northeast, things could be a lot worse.Beverly,...

Jane Jones in Real Estate 2026-01-24 16:51:54

Real estate CEO says the luxury industry is all about one thing: a ‘return on ego’

For Ziad El Chaar, CEO of luxury developer DarGlobal, the future of the luxury industry isn’t measured purely in financial returns—it’s about emotional capital. While ROI is a return on investment, he said at the Fortune Global Forum in Riyadh on Monday, “In the luxury segment, we always say we’re giving you a lot of ROE: A return on ego.”Recommended VideoThat “return on ego,” Chaar explained, is what drives buyers toward exclusivity and identity...

Robert Jones in Real Estate 2025-12-27 23:31:40

Trump’s housing chief calls Jerome Powell a ‘maniac’ who is ‘deranged,’ arguing high mortgage rates are ‘really hurting people’

President Donald Trump’s housing chief has strongly criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, labeling him a “maniac” and “deranged,” while blaming persistent high interest rates for widespread financial hardship among Americans. This fiery characterization comes as economic anxiety continues to grip the country, with housing costs climbing to levels not seen in decades.Recommended VideoThe remarks came from Bill Pulte, the director of the ...

Jane Jones in Real Estate 2026-01-19 23:55:23