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Summer Ushers a More Buyer-Friendly Market With Plenty of Fresh Listings

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As summer kicks into high gear, buyers considering coming off the sidelines and dipping their toes into the housing market are likely to find the conditions shifting in their favor, with more fresh listings to choose from and a slower pace of activity, allowing for more time to make a decision.

For prospective homebuyers, things are gradually looking up after a sluggish spring season, considering there are now more than one million for-sale homes on the market across the U.S.

In another bit of welcome news, buyer confidence in the U.S. housing market has been on an upward trajectory, boosted by better-than-expected job and inflation reports.

However, major affordability challenges persist, driven in part by elevated mortgage interest rates stuck in the high-6% range, with no immediate relief in sight in light of the Federal Reserve's decision last week to keep rates steady for the foreseeable future.

Buyers offered more options as fresh listings rise

New listings ticked up last week, increasing 3.5% from a year ago and signaling that aspiring buyers stand to gain some negotiating power over the summer months, says Realtor.com® economist Jiyai Xu.

Yet the growth rate of new listings slowed compared to the previous week and remained below the year-to-date pace for the fourth consecutive week, according to the latest Weekly Housing Market Update.

"This will be an important trend to watch, especially as regional real estate dynamics diverge and the market gradually shifts back in favor of buyers," notes Xu.

The overall number of for-sale homes was up 27.5% year over year. This marks the 85th straight week of annual gains in inventory.

On top of that, for the eighth consecutive week, there were more than 1 million listings available nationwide, marking the highest inventory level since December 2019.

But Xu points out that while choices for consumers have expanded, overall supply remains well below pre-pandemic norms, especially in the hottest markets in the Midwest and Northeast, where new development has been stagnant while demand remained high.

On the other hand, nearly all major Southern metros now exceed pre-COVID inventory levels, fueled by faster new construction over the past several years.

Home prices tick up but selling pace slows

The price of the typical home increased again last week, edging up 0.9% from a year ago—but it was still down 0.3% from the beginning of 2025.

The median listing price per square foot—which adjusts for changes in home size—rose 0.7% year over year.

"With inventory growing, and 1 in 5 sellers slashing prices, the pendulum is swinging back toward a balanced market, as price growth slows and buyers gain more leverage," says Xu.

Homes spent five days longer than a year ago waiting for a buyer to come along and close the deal, signaling that the pace of the housing market continued to ease annually.

The typical listing lingered unsold for 53 days last week, about the same as six years ago. For context, when America's housing stock was at its lowest in the spring of 2022, median time on market was as low as 28 days.

Read more at Realtor.com

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Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac ordered to consider crypto as an asset when buying mortgages

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The head of the federal government agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac wants the mortgage giants to consider accepting a homebuyer’s cryptocurrency holdings in their criteria for buying mortgages from banks.

William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Fannie and Freddie, ordered the agencies Wednesday to prepare a proposal for consideration of crypto as an asset for reserves when they assess risks in single-family home loans.

Pulte also instructed the agencies that their mortgage risk assessments should not require cryptocurrency assets to be converted to U.S. dollars. And only crypto assets that “can be evidenced and stored on a U.S.-regulated centralized exchange subject to all applicable laws” are to be considered by the agencies in their proposal, Pulte wrote in a written order, effective immediately.

Pulte was sworn in as the head of FHFA in March. Public records show that as of January 2025, Pulte’s spouse owned between $500,000 and $1 million of bitcoin and a similar amount of Solana’s SOL token.

Use of cryptocurrency for buying a home has been generally limited. Among the respondents in a National Association of Realtors survey of people who bought a home between July 2023 and June 2024, only 1% of those who made a down payment said they used proceeds from the sale of crypto.

Banks seeking to make mortgages that qualify for purchase by Fannie and Freddie have not typically considered a borrower’s crypto holdings until they were sold, or converted, to dollars.

“This is a big win for advocates of cryptocurrencies who want crypto to be treated the same way as other assets are,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin.

Currently, stock investments are treated as qualifying assets that count toward reserves that banks want borrowers to have. But assets that are more volatile, like individual stocks or crypto, may be discounted by lenders, Fairweather noted.

“As long as lenders are appropriately discounting crypto based on volatility, it’s fine that crypto investments count toward reserves,” she said.

The policy change is meant to encourage banks to expand how they gauge borrowers’ creditworthiness, in hopes that more aspiring homebuyers can qualify for a home loan. It also recognizes that cryptocurrencies have grown in popularity as an alternative to traditional investments, such as bonds and stocks.

The agencies have to come up with their proposals “as soon as reasonably practical,” according to the order.

Fannie and Freddie, which have been under government control since the Great Recession, buy mortgages that meet their risk criteria from banks, which helps provide liquidity for the housing market. The two firms guarantee roughly half of the $12 trillion U.S. home loan market and are a bedrock of the U.S. economy.

“If Fannie and Freddie are going to accept cryptocurrency as collateral, that’s a strong incentive for banks to shift their practices,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “Because people who might otherwise have to sell cryptocurrency to qualify — and maybe that’s a deal-breaker for them now — under this new policy, they can qualify. It sort of expands the potential pool of eligible buyers.”

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since early 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Home sales fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. They’ve remained sluggish so far this year, as elevated mortgage rates and rising prices keep would-be homebuyers on the sidelines.

As of April, the U.S. housing market had nearly 34% more sellers than buyers shopping for a home, according to an analysis by Redfin.

Read more at Associated Press

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As Featured in West + Main Home Magazine: Backyard Bliss

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A Slice of Garden Heaven

““If one word could describe Marah’s backyard transformation, it would be Bliss.””
— Marah

When W+M agent Anna Domenico’s client, Marah and her family moved into their home, they knew their dream backyard would include a garden, open space for yard games, and something special that could evolve over time. “We wanted a garden and open space for yard games, and as the kids grew, the jungle gym idea really excited us,” Marah shares. What started as a simple vision soon blossomed into a lush, functional space the whole family could enjoy together.

Working with the space they had, Marah and her partner, Matt, got to work on their backyard project—despite being beginners in the gardening world. “Matt built one garden bed before this at our last house, and I grew up with some gardening knowledge,” Marah admits. The couple leaned on their creativity and helpful neighbors and friends to build their dream backyard step by step.

The project, which took about three years to complete, was a true labor of love. “We have been working on the yard slowly for three years,” says Marah. “We allocated about $10,000 for the garden, sauna, and jungle gym, with the sauna taking up most of the budget. We probably went a little over budget buying new plants each year, but it’s totally worth it—we get so much enjoyment out of our gardening hobby.” 

One of the most rewarding aspects of the transformation? The sense of community and the help they received along the way. “Neighbors and friends with different expertises helped with digging post holes, carrying concrete, building the sauna, and putting the roof on the jungle gym,” Marah recalls. “We moved in during the pandemic with a newborn, and that year was quite isolating. Having people help and spend time with us in our yard was especially enjoyable when that was safe for everyone.”

As for Marah’s favorite part of the project? It’s simple. “We love being in the garden as a family. It’s a dream come true to harvest tomatoes and strawberries with the kids and to be outside together.”

The materials used in the backyard are just as thoughtful as the project itself. The table and benches are from West Elm, the “mud kitchen” in the jungle gym was made with materials from ReStore, and most of the wood came from Front Range Lumber. 

Marah’s advice for anyone starting a similar project? “Invest in water-wise plants and look into plants that grow well in Denver. The Denver Botanic Gardens is a great place to find inspiration. And lean on your community. We’ve exchanged skills with our neighbors, and it’s helped us build great relationships.”

What began as a daunting list of tasks evolved into a passion project that has brought the family closer together. “When we first moved in, the projects seemed daunting. Now, gardening feels like a hobby—a labor of love,” Marah reflects. “It’s still a work in progress, but we enjoy it so much, and we’re excited for what’s next.”

 

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Try the 'Holding Zone' Decluttering Method When You're Not Ready to Say Goodbye to Your Stuff

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Any attempt to get rid of things is inevitably a big challenge, because even ratty old T-shirts and DVDs we haven't watched in at least a decade somehow still spark joy for us.

So maybe we needed a gentler push toward finally declaring at least some of those items ready to go. Enter our latest attempt to get a little more clutter out the door: the slow-roll shakeup. Rather than send something out the door right away, we pop it in a "holding zone" bin for a bit—and give ourselves time to get used to the idea of setting it free.

If you have some stubborn cluttered spots (or some stubborn clutter keepers), try these tips to see if you can make some progress through this decluttering method.

How This Decluttering Method Works

This method can work for any type of decluttering project, whether you're just looking to organize a drawer or shelf, or doing a whole room. Here's how to work it into your decluttering routine.

Add a "holding zone" box or bin to your declutter session setup

Most decluttering methods start by sorting into several piles/bins: to keep, to give away, and to trash. The slow-roll method gives you a fourth option: the "maybe later" or holding zone bin. That's where you put those things that you're not totally committed to keeping, or that you know deep down you can probably part with—whether it's the jeans that you haven't been able to squeeze into for the past five years, or the board game you love but can't get anyone in your family to play with you.

That "maybe later" bin can help you avoid the roadblocks and emotional fatigue of letting go right away.

Store the bin—for a little while

Find an out-of-the-way place to keep your holding zone bin while you get used to the idea of life without those items. If you find yourself needing to pull something out of there while it's stored, it's clearly an item that needs to stay.

Set a deadline

Mark it on the box, put it in your calendar, and post it on your fridge: That "maybe later" bin should have a definite shelf life. Obviously, the sooner, the better is best, but try to make it no more than three months from now, so you don't hold onto these items indefinitely (just in a more hidden spot).

Donate or sell everything

When you hit that deadline, everything that's still in the box must go. Send the items into the universe, whether you donate them to charity, sell them at a garage sale, or give them away on a Buy Nothing group. If you're concerned about waffling on the items in the box when it's time to say a final farewell, don't even take a peek into the box. Have a less sentimental friend or family member go through it and get the items ready to sell or donate.

Benefits of This Decluttering Method

This may be the best way to clear away stuff if you're someone who has a very hard time letting go of items, or if you've already done an initial pass and you still have too much stuff. By putting the items into limbo for a bit, you may finally cut that connection and be able to set it free.

You may also find yourself breezing through your next declutter more quickly, since you won't be dealing with the emotions that come with getting rid of something you love.

Downsides to Consider

As with any decluttering method, the holding zone has its drawbacks. The key one: if you're a procrastinator, that "maybe later" box could end up sitting there forever—and that stuff will continue to gather dust in your home, instead of serving a purpose.

But there is also the issue of finding a spot to hold all those items. And if you've sorted more items into the holding zone than anywhere else, it'll still be taking up a lot of space in your home while you're waiting for the delay to do its magic.

Still, storing that clutter for a short time can be a small price to pay—if you're willing to get rid of it after that time has passed.

Read more at Real Simple

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Fixer-Upper Houses: What Home Shoppers Should Know

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Buying a fixer-upper can provide a path to homeownership for first-time home buyers or a way for repeat buyers to afford a larger home or a better neighborhood.

With the relatively low inventory of homes for sale these days, a move-in ready home can be hard to find, especially if you’re on a budget.

Fixer-upper houses — existing single-family homes in need of renovations or repairs — usually sell for less per square foot than homes that are in good shape, says Dan Bawden, president and CEO of Legal Eagle Contractors in Houston, Texas.

But before you start bargain hunting, you need to know what you're in for; renovations aren't as easy as they look on TV. Seemingly simple projects can become complicated once the demolition starts, and if costs end up higher than estimated, finishing your to-do list can take longer than anticipated.

Weigh these considerations to help decide if buying a fixer-upper is right for you.

Fixer-upper mortgage options

Renovation loans are mortgages that let you finance a house and improvements at the same time. With a renovation loan, you can pay off improvements over a longer period of time and at a lower interest rate than other types of financing. Options include:

  • FHA 203(k): Offered through the Federal Housing Administration, FHA 203(k) loans allow lower income and credit scores than conventional mortgages. They can be used for many improvement projects, including making the home more accessible, repairing a swimming pool or building a garage.

  • HomeStyle: Guaranteed by Fannie Mae, HomeStyle mortgages require higher credit scores than FHA 203(k) loans. But almost any improvements are eligible, including “luxuries” like a pool or landscaping.

  • CHOICERenovation loan: Guaranteed by Freddie Mac, this mortgage allows borrowers to finance the purchase and renovation of a home in one loan with a minimum down payment of 5% (3% for first-time homebuyers).

  • VA renovation loan: VA borrowers can finance the purchase and renovation of a home with one loan, though this product can be difficult to find, even among lenders that specialize in VA loans. A VA-approved contractor is required, eligible projects are somewhat limited and work must be completed within 120 days of closing on the loan.

A fixer-upper mortgage may also help cover your mortgage payments if you have to live elsewhere while improvements are in progress and may include extra funds in case projects exceed the estimated cost.

How to determine the work needed and your budget

1. Consult a professional

Before buying a fixer-upper home, hire a professional contractor to estimate the cost of the work that’s needed before you make an offer. The house that’s right for you depends on your skills, schedule and the way you plan to finance the improvements.

“There’s less-than-perfect shape and then there’s total disrepair,” says Carolyn Morganbesser, assistant vice president of mortgage originations at Affinity Federal Credit Union in New Jersey.

2. Pick the right payment method for your project

For more simple repairs: You may be able to stick with a traditional mortgage and pay for upgrades with cash, a credit card or a personal loan to start renovating right after closing. These bootstrapped financing options might put a low ceiling on your budget and come with a higher interest rate.

3. Expect roadblocks

Whether you DIY or hire a pro, don’t be surprised if there are roadblocks along the way. “It always takes longer than you thought it was going to take because that’s the nature of remodeling,” Bawden says.

If you're looking at foreclosed homes, which often need work, brace for delays during the mortgage offer process as well, Morganbesser adds. With bank-owned properties, you’ll be negotiating with the lender that owns the property, and it may reject your offer more than once, she says. That makes for a slow start to a project that could take months.

4. Prepare for additional supervision and appraisals

Renovation loans often require extra consultations, inspections and home appraisals designed to protect the lender’s investment — as well as your own.

A standard FHA 203(k) loan, for example, requires you to hire a Department of Housing and Urban Development consultant who’ll approve your plans, manage contractor payments and inspect the property after each phase of work is complete.

These additional hurdles can be frustrating, but they help to ensure the work is on time, on budget and adds value to the home.

Read more at Nerdwallet

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