Affordability

Poll: Americans want Congress to act on lowering housing costs

Housing is a top political priority for Americans, and voters overwhelmingly support federal action to address housing affordability, according to a new poll from the Bipartisan Policy Center.  The poll found that 83% of voters believe that Congress should take action to make housing more affordable. Meanwhile, 89% of respondents agree that the House of […]

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After pushback, New Hampshire course-corrects pro-housing laws

Last year, New Hampshire lawmakers jumped on the bandwagon of state legislatures targeting a worsening housing shortage by mandating that local governments permit multifamily housing in commercially zoned areas. The effort sought to boost housing supply and improve affordability by stripping away local zoning authority. Local governments, true to the state’s “live free or die”

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Could Co-Buying Be the Answer for Some First-Time Buyers?

Could Co-Buying Be the Answer for Some First-Time Buyers?

For a lot of would-be first-time buyers, affordability is the thing that’s standing in the way. But some buyers are getting creative and finding a way to still make the numbers work – and that’s through co-buying. The Dream Is Still Alive. The Math Just Isn’t Working for Everyone. Young people haven’t given up on

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Build-to-rent explodes in Atlanta — and agents are taking notice

No major U.S. metro area has more single-family rental (SFR) homes owned by institutional investors than Atlanta, with current totals sitting at roughly 72,000 houses — nearly doubling No. 2 Phoenix. That concentration represents about 30% of Atlanta’s single-family rental market, a share 10 times the national average, according to a new report from the

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Clayton CrossMod single-section missing middle housing launches

“Try a lot of new things. Keep what works.” This has been an operational mantra at Clayton for more than a decade, inspired by Chairman and CEO Kevin Clayton’s embrace of the Japanese principle of kaizen – constant, patient, humble, unrelenting improvement. That ethos – more discipline than buzzword, more practice than promise – frames

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Bill targets Social Security earnings limits as retirement trends shift

A proposal in Congress to eliminate a rule that reduces Social Security benefits for working retirees comes as more Americans rethink what retirement looks like and opt for flexible, phased transitions instead of a hard stop. The Senior Citizens’ Freedom to Work Act, introduced by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), would

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Minnesota zoning reform push for starter homes falters

A third go at trying to reboot starter-home construction in Minnesota is on life support at the state Legislature, with supporters scrambling to revive it before the session ends. High-profile zoning reform bills failed in a House committee and missed key Senate deadlines late last month, potentially dooming the effort as had happened over the

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Think You Have To Put 20% Down? Most First-Time Homebuyers Don’t.

Think You Have To Put 20% Down? Most First-Time Homebuyers Don’t.

According to Google Trends, online searches for down payment information recently hit an all-time high. And that’s a clear sign more buyers are trying to figure out what they really need to save before making a move (see graph below): If you’re wondering the same thing, you can always turn to the internet for answers.

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Pritzker’s honor: Illinois housing reform fight intensifies

The fight over Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s sweeping housing reform agenda is intensifying as both sides harden their positions. Supporters and detractors by the thousands delivered their opening arguments Thursday at the first major hearing on Pritzker’s six-bill package. Pritzker’s BUILD plan seeks to lower costs by making construction easier and faster statewide. It would

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First-time homebuyers’ shrinking presence — what it means for real estate agents

The share of first-time homebuyers has fallen to 21% of all transactions — the lowest level since the National Association of Realtors (NAR) began tracking the data in 1981. For real estate agents, the shift is not a temporary blip. It’s a structural change reshaping how agents build their businesses, talk about value and prepare

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