In the past 48 hours, the US housing industry continues to show signs of cautious transition but remains fundamentally constrained by affordability and limited inventory. The average home value in the country is now 367,711 dollars, representing a 1.4 percent increase over the past year. However, median home prices as of last month hit 403,700 dollars, up 2.7 percent year over year. Mortgage rates are holding steady at historically high levels, with the average 30-year fixed rate at 6.71 percent. This sustained pressure has left many would-be buyers on the sidelines, and sellers have been reluctant to list properties, contributing to a market that experts describe as largely frozen.
Housing inventory is making a slow comeback. Single-family homes for sale are up about 20 percent year over year, but the total number of listings remains 20 to 30 percent below previous lows. Notably, new homes for sale have surged, reaching their highest levels since 2007, while speculative home inventory is also at a multi-year high. Builders are responding with more aggressive sales incentives and are increasing single-family construction starts even as multifamily starts dip, with a 3 percent expected growth in single-family starts for 2025.
On the regulatory front, shifts under the current presidential administration and ongoing tariff debates are injecting uncertainty into the market, particularly around construction material costs and the availability of labor. Any changes in immigration policy could impact both construction labor supply and multifamily housing demand.
Emerging competitors and proptech innovations are creating efficiencies in digital home buying and streamlining mortgage applications, but significant new product launches or major M and A deals have not dominated headlines this week. Major industry players, including national homebuilders, are leveraging incentives to clear existing inventory and pivoting to meet persistent demand for affordable homes.
Compared to past months, there is a modest improvement in supply and some stabilization in price growth, but the affordability crunch endures. While price appreciation is cooling—expected to average between 2 and 3 percent this year versus 4 to 4.5 percent last year—high rates continue to weigh heavily on buyers. The market remains in a delicate balance, awaiting clearer signals on rates, policy, and consumer sentiment before any broad-based recovery can take hold.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI