This week on Real Estate Today, we break down why winter may be the secret season for savvy buyers and why hitting pause until spring could mean missing real opportunities. We take a look at the current housing market, explore why first-time buyers make up the smallest share of buyers on record, and highlight opportunities for today's buyers, including how purchasing in winter could work to your advantage and how to shop smarter for a mortgage and potentially save.

Guests include Dr. Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist at the National Association of REALTORS®; Christine Belin, REALTOR® based in Corpus Christi, Texas; Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree; and Patrick Roach, president and co-founder of Southwestern Real Estate in Wheaton, Illinois.

Plus, in our Hot or Not segment, we weigh in on Pantone's Color of the Year for 2026, Cloud Dancer, and the use of light pink in interior design.