Danielle Hale

Home shoppers got a break this week with mortgage rates dipping down, just as the best week to sell begins.

Danielle Hale The situation in the Middle East continues to dominate headlines, but a ceasefire has already affected mortgage rates.

The traditional spring homebuying season has officially arrived, injecting seasonal optimism into a market that has struggled in the face of economic uncertainty.

The traditional spring homebuying season has officially arrived, injecting seasonal optimism into a market beset by uncertainty.

I see this convergence of lower rates and rising inventory as a potential catalyst for a market that has been searching for its footing.

Explore 2026 Q1 Los Angeles rental trends: In the first quarter of 2026, the median asking rent for all rental properties listed on Realtor in Los Angeles County was $2,520, a decline of $97, or 3.7%, compared with a year ago. While the county experienced a temporary dip in rents during the COVID-19 pandemic, asking rents quickly rebounded to pre-pandemic levels and peaked in summer 2022.

As we navigate the peak spring homebuying season, the economic backdrop remains characterized by a persistent "cloudy" outlook.

As we move deeper into the spring homebuying season, the U.S. housing market finds itself at a critical crossroads.

Mortgage rates hold steady amid "inflation contagion," while new construction offers $25,000 in savings and national rents continue to drop.

Your paycheck may be growing, but " inflation contagion " is eating up those gains—and then some.