Realtor.com April report: U.S. home prices fall for 6th straight month, but fewer price cuts indicate that sellers are entering the market with realistic expectations.
First-time claims, at 5,375, dropped for the 2nd week in a row. Fla.’s jobless rate has slowly increased to 4.6%, reflecting mid-February conditions.
Thoughtful planning can help would-be home buyers prepare for the experience. A clear look at finances and budget is a good place to start.
Prices rose 3.5% compared to a year ago, pushing inflation further away from the Fed’s 2% target, likely leaving interest rates on hold at least for now.
Open houses can generate traffic, widen the pool of potential buyers, shorten the decision window and support stronger offers, plus reinforce buyer trust.
Ending a 3-week slide, it’s up from 6.23% last week, but lower than the 6.76% a year ago. The 15-year FRM rose to 5.64%; it was 5.58% last week and 5.92% a year ago.
For the second month in a row, Floridians are feeling less confident about their finances, due to higher gas prices, other rising costs and accelerated inflation.
Real estate transactions may rely more on physical mail and delivery timelines than agents realize, creating potential exposure if postal service disruptions worsen.
Housing production bounced back in March as builders increased starts despite headwinds. Overall starts rose 10.8% to a seasonally adjusted pace of 1.5 million.
Several broadband-focused bills passed by the U.S. House aim to expand high-speed internet access, helping to unlock housing demand in rural and underserved areas.
