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Young Buyers Make Up a Greater Share of the Housing Market
Younger buyers, especially Gen Z, are becoming a much bigger force in the housing market.
Millennials and Gen Z together now dominate the market, accounting for about two-thirds of all home purchase loans, according to new data from ICE.
In Q2 2026, Gen Z accounted for approximately 1 in 5 home purchase loans, the highest share ever. The oldest people in this cohort are entering their late 20s, an age when homebuying activity tends to pick up. Despite today's market challenges, they're pushing forward to achieve their dream of homeownership.
Read more from The Mortgage Note.
Student Loans are Back in the News. They Don't Have to Put Your Homeownership Plans on Hold
Student loans are back in the spotlight. And whether you've been following the headlines closely or just catching bits and pieces here and there, there's a good chance they’ve been on your mind lately.
And if you're questioning whether you have to hit pause on your plans to buy a home, here's the thing you have to remember: Having student loans doesn't automatically mean buying a home has to wait.
Read more from Keeping Current Matters.
Philadelphia Was the Fifth Best Large Metro for House-Flipping Profit Margin in Q1 2026
According to ATTOM's Q1 2026 U.S. Home Flipping Report, 64,348 single-family homes and condominiums were flipped during the first quarter of 2026, representing 8 percent of all home sales completed from January through March.
The report stated that nationwide, the home-flipping rate of all home sales nationwide in Q1 2026 was up from 7.2 percent in the previous quarter but down slightly from 8.2 percent a year earlier. Despite the quarterly increase in market share, the total number of homes flipped fell to 64,348, down from 69,711 in Q4 2025 and 70,579 in Q1 2025.
Read more from Attom.
Existing Home Sales Decrease 2.4% Nationally in June But Were Up 2.1% in the Northeast
Existing-home sales decreased by 2.4% month-over-month and increased 2.8% year-over-year, according to the National Association of Realtors Existing-Home Sales report. The report provides the real estate ecosystem, including agents, homebuyers and sellers, with data on the level of home sales, price, and inventory.
Month-over-month sales increased in the Northeast, and declined in the Midwest, South and West. Year-over-year sales rose in the Midwest, South and West and were flat in the Northeast.
Read more from the National Association of Realtors.
Pending Home Sales in the Northeast Decrease 3.0% Month-Over-Month, Increase 2.2% Year-Over-Year
Pending home sales in June decreased by 5.4% month-over-month and 0.3% year-over-year, according to the National Association of REALTORS® Pending Home Sales report. The report provides the real estate ecosystem—including agents, homebuyers and sellers—with data on the level of home sales under contract.
Month-over-month pending home sales declined in all four major U.S. regions. Year-over-year pending home sales increased in the Northeast and Midwest but declined in the South and West.
Read more from the National Association of Realtors.
Midyear Market Checkup: Finding Balance After a Chaotic Spring
When mortgage rates dipped below 6% in February, the housing market seemed primed for a rebound. Instead, the war in the Middle East, and the rise in energy costs, overall inflation and interest rates that followed, dashed hopes for resurgent demand and yielded a balanced, even buyer-friendly market at the midpoint of the year.
Inventory growth flattens to 'new normal' levels:
The number of active for-sale listings is my favorite barometer of housing market health because it reflects the recent balance of supply and demand while also providing an early indication of where home prices are headed. Realtor.com reported active listings just 2% higher at mid-year than at the midpoint of 2025.
Read more from Real Estate News.
How Mortgage and Credit Debt in Your 50s Stack Up Against National Averages
Many people imagine that they won't have much debt by the time they reach their 50s, but the numbers tell a different story.
Mortgages, credit cards, car loans, and even lingering student debt are all still on the books for a lot of midlife households. Data shows Gen X has the largest total balances of all generations: more than half have a mortgage and over 80% carry a credit card balance.