2020 – Pandemic‑era ultra‑low mortgage rates lock homeowners into 2%‑3% loans, curbing listings and fueling a 55% rise in median home prices by 2025, which deepens the supply shortage and affordability gap[3].

Sep 2022 – The 30‑year fixed‑rate mortgage falls to 6.06%, the lowest level since that month, establishing a benchmark that later rate movements are measured against[1].

Dec 2, 2025 – Oxford Economics reports the median household income needed to afford a single‑family home climbs to $110,100, while only 38% of households can afford a home, highlighting that higher mortgage rates, not price gains, drive the affordability decline[17].

Dec 2, 2025 – Redfin projects existing‑home sales to rise 3% in 2026 to 4.2 million units and median prices to increase 1% YoY, noting that wages are expected to outpace home‑price growth for the first time since the Great Recession[18].

Dec 4, 2025 – Realtor.com forecasts price declines in 22 of the nation’s 100 largest metros in 2026, with Florida markets such as Cape Coral expected to fall up to 10.2%, reflecting regional affordability pressures[14].

Dec 4, 2025 – Realtor.com predicts Columbus home sales will dip about 2% in 2026 while prices climb, citing high construction and labor costs that limit affordable new housing[21].

Dec 4, 2025 – Redfin expects home prices to rise 1% in 2026 and mortgage rates to average 6.3%, while wage growth is projected to exceed price growth, offering a modest relief to buyers[22].

Dec 4, 2025 – Redfin also anticipates refinance volume to surge more than 30% in 2026 as homeowners chase lower rates, signaling a potential boost to borrowing activity[23].

Dec 19, 2025 – November existing‑home sales increase 0.5% to an annualized 4.13 million, the median price hits $409,200 (a 29‑month streak of price rises), and inventory sits at a 4.2‑month supply, underscoring lingering demand despite higher prices[20].

Dec 24, 2025 – The 30‑year mortgage rate slides to 6.18% for the week, listings rise sharply from the prior year, and buyers with cash or financing gain leverage as sellers lower asking prices and homes stay on market longer[19].

Dec 26, 2025 – Redfin data show the median home price at $389,123 (up 2% YoY) and the homeownership rate falls to 65% in Q2 2025, while inventory growth slows and regional price trends diverge, with the Northeast and Midwest holding stronger price gains than the Sun Belt[16].

Dec 26, 2025 – The Trump administration pledges aggressive 2026 housing reforms, touting ideas such as a 50‑year mortgage and portable loans, while expecting inventory relief to lift sales and forecasting price growth to stay flat at about 0.5%[3].

Dec 28, 2025 – Mortgage rates hover near 6.22% in mid‑December; forecasters expect rates to remain in the mid‑6% range throughout 2026, unemployment rises to 4.6% in November, and a potential recession could further press rates lower[15].

Jan 6, 2026 – Analysts link America’s affordability crunch to severe housing and child‑care shortages, noting that ultra‑low pandemic‑era mortgages lock supply and that rising child‑care costs push many mothers out of the labor force[2].

Jan 7, 2026 – The NAHB reports Q3 2025 GDP growth of 4.3% with housing contributing 16.1% of GDP; mortgage rates ease to about 6.15% by year‑end, and a delay of furniture and cabinet tariffs to 2027 removes a cost pressure that could boost home sales and remodeling[13].

Jan 10, 2026 – President Trump acknowledges a clash between expanding home affordability and preserving existing homeowner equity, saying he wants more people to buy homes without “knocking values down”[12].

Jan 11, 2026 – Realtor.com projects a modest 2.2% national price increase in 2026, with the Midwest and Northeast leading gains and 11 metros (e.g., Toledo, Syracuse) slated for the largest price jumps, while inflation is expected to outpace price growth[11].

Jan 12, 2026 – Inventory rises in December across 48 of the 50 largest markets, led by the West (14.4% gain); Washington DC (+32.8%), Charlotte (+30.8%), Las Vegas (+29.2%), Seattle (+28.8%) and Raleigh (+26.7%) post the sharpest inventory jumps, signaling a broadening supply base[10].

Jan 15, 2026 – The 30‑year mortgage rate dips to 6.06%, the lowest since September 2022, prompting a surge in purchase applications and refinance activity; President Trump urges the government to buy $200 billion of mortgage‑backed securities to push rates lower, and early data show modest downward pressure on rates[1].

Jan 20, 2026 – The New York Fed’s December survey finds 8.6% of households earning under $50,000 plan a home purchase in the next four months—higher than the 5.9% of earners over $100,000—while spending growth accelerates and wealthier buyers remain locked into low‑rate mortgages[9].

Jan 22, 2026 – Redfin records a record seller surplus of 529,770, the largest since 2013, with the median listing price near $428,000; analysts attribute the gap to a demand collapse as low‑rate homeowners stay put[8].

Jan 24, 2026 – Pending home‑sales index plunges 9.3% in December, the steepest drop since April 2020; sellers outnumber buyers by 600,000, the buyer pool shrinks to 1.3 million, median existing‑home price rises to $405,400, and inventory growth slows to its weakest pace in nearly two years[7].

Feb 17, 2026 – Average down payments fall 1.5% YoY to $64,000 (15.2% of price) as buyers chase affordability; Orlando sees a 23.9% YoY drop in median down payments, reflecting a surge in new inventory that pressures buyers to lower cash outlays[6].

Feb 19, 2026 – A Bright MLS survey shows 23% of renters under 40 now doubt homeownership, up from 18% a year earlier; mortgage rates sit at 6.09%, the median home price reaches $423,261 in January, and the homeownership rate for those under 35 climbs to 37.9% in Q4 2025, indicating modest gains for younger buyers amid persistent anxiety[5].

Feb 20, 2026 – Pending home sales fall nearly 6% YoY in the four weeks ending Feb 15, the longest contract period since early 2019 stretches to 67 days, median home price edges up 1.1%, mortgage rates hover at 6.09%, and agents report a strong buyer’s market with increased leverage for purchasers[4].