Housing Market News With a Local Angle
Welcome to the Home Buying Institute. We provide “hyper local” housing market news for cities and metro areas across the United States. We do this by researching local real estate trends and also by soliciting input from local real estate professionals. In fact, the Home Buying Institute is currently building a nationwide team of housing reporters to cover trends and conditions at the local level.
We have been educating home buyers, sellers and mortgage shoppers for more than 10 years. We provide unbiased information that helps buyers and sellers make better-informed decisions. You can learn more about our company and our goals on this page.
Most Recent Stories
Housing Forecasts for 2018 Suggest ‘Normal’ Price Growth
Recent housing market forecasts for 2017 through 2018 suggest that home prices in the U.S. could rise somewhere between 3% and 5% over the next 12 months. From a historical standpoint, this could be considered “normal” growth. When looking back 30 years or so, home prices in the United States tend to rise by about […]
Should You Buy a House Now, or Wait Until 2018?
In light of recent housing trends and forecasts, a strong case could be made for buying a home now instead of waiting until 2018. We are about halfway through 2017, and that’s usually when a lot of would-be home buyers start asking the same question. Should I buy a house now, or wait until 2018? […]
Average Credit Score for Home Buyer Mortgage Loans: 2017 Update
The average credit score among home buyers using mortgage loans was 722 in April 2017, according to the latest data. But you don’t necessarily need a FICO score of 722 to qualify for a home loan. Read on to learn why. In April 2017, home buyers who successfully closed on their mortgage loans had an […]
Renting vs. Buying a Home in 2017: Ten Cities Were It’s a No-Brainer
Earlier this month, the real estate information company Trulia published the results of a rent-versus-buy analysis for major cities across the country. In most of the country’s major metro areas, buying is still cheaper than renting in terms of monthly costs. In some cities like Philadelphia, Fort Lauderdale and New Orleans, there’s a big advantage […]
These California Markets Are Tough for First-Time Buyers in 2017
California has some of the worst housing markets for first-time home buyers, according to a recent report. Orlando and Tampa, on the other hand, are two of the best markets for those buying their first home. First-time buyers in Florida are enjoying favorable market conditions right now, with relative affordability and low competition. But in […]
5 Housing Markets Where Home Prices Could Outpace the Nation in 2018
Recent housing market forecasts suggest that home prices nationwide will continue rising over the next 12 months, at least in most parts of the country. But the gains will probably be smaller than those recorded over the last 12 months. As for high performers, the five cities below could outpace the nation in terms of […]
Mortgage Rate Forecast for April 2017 – 2018: A Slow Climb Ahead?
Home buyers got some good news last week, regarding mortgage rates. According to the weekly survey conducted by Freddie Mac, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage loan dropped by 11 basis points (0.11%) last week, landing at 3.97%. That marked its lowest point of 2017, and the lowest level since November of last […]
10 Housing Markets Where Inventory Is Way Down in 2017
A recent report from Trulia revealed that the number of homes for sale in the U.S. has dropped significantly over the last five years. During the first three months of 2017, inventory nationwide dropped to its lowest level on record. Housing markets like Salt Lake City, Seattle, San Diego, and Nashville are really feeling the […]
Trump & Housing: President Hammers Middle Class With FHA Insurance Reversal
President Donald Trump, who paints himself as a champion of the middle class, hammers middle-income home buyers with FHA policy reversal. Within hours of being inaugurated, Donald Trump took a swipe at low-income and middle-class Americans — many of whom voted for him — by scrapping a planned mortgage fee reduction for FHA loans. In […]
Forecast: Phoenix Home Prices to Keep Rising Into 2018
According to a recent forecast from the real estate data company Zillow, the Phoenix housing market could continue appreciating well into the first part of 2018. But homeowners in the areas probably shouldn’t expect the kind of home-price appreciation seen over the last year. House values in the Phoenix appear to be rising more slowly […]