Free Republic

How the year will shape up in the housing market isn’t yet clear, but there are some predictions that things will ease up for homebuyers. We may see interest rates fall and inventory increase. But just because things could be easier on buyers this year doesn’t mean sellers are necessarily in for a tough time. Indeed, better days could be ahead, as some real estate experts anticipate housing sales to pick up in 2024. Rather than getting ahead of ourselves with predictions on what prospective sellers can expect in the housing climate in 2024, let’s back up a bit and...

Coronavirus cases may be on the rise in some parts of the country, but that hasn’t stopped Americans from looking for homes to buy. And increasingly, those homes are in the suburbs. A new study from Realtor.com found that Americans are showing a more pronounced interest suburban and rural areas as the housing market recovers from pandemic-induced shutdowns. Views of online home listings in May 2020 on Realtor.com grew by 13% compared to May 2019 for suburban ZIP codes, roughly double the rate of urban areas, researchers found.

The blazing-hot topic at suburban cocktail parties this spring is whether there's a bubble in the residential housing market. No wonder. In 2004, existing home prices rose faster than in any year since the 1970s. Some markets are going bonkers. Alexandria, Va., is up 31% in 12 months; San Bruno, Cal., 25%; and parts of Manhattan, more than 50%. A front-page New York Times story featured a Florida couple who had bought and sold four properties -- two condos and two houses -- in the space of six months, clearing $500,000. And none of the homes had yet been built!...