2026 is upon us and for this year, I want to keep the housing discussion very simple. As active inventory has returned to near-normal levels and home-price growth has cooled, we are entering a year when buyers, sellers and buyers-to-be are on a much better footing than in the unhealthy housing markets of 2020 to early 2022.Keeping it simple: housing data tends to improve when mortgage rates fall below...

As the title insurance industry moves into 2026, executives say it faces a complex mix of market pressures, regulatory shifts and escalating fraud risks. Leading executives who sat down with HousingWire are focusing on technology, operational efficiency and agent support — aiming to keep operations resilient while preparing for market recovery. Ryan Swed, group president of direct operations at...

Below is a timeline of the actions the Trump administration or Congressional Republicans have taken that impact housing since President Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2025, along with additional coverage of those topics. Opinions on Trump administration actions CFPB Trump fires CFPB Director Rohit Chopra  Feb. 1 Trump names Scott Bessent as new acting CFPB director Feb. 3 New CFPB...

There was a time — not that long ago — when certain home features quietly signaled serious money. They weren’t flashy in the way a mansion or a gated driveway might be, but to anyone paying attention, they read as upgrades that went beyond the basics. They suggested choice, access, and a willingness to spend on comfort rather than necessity. What’s striking in hindsight is how many of those...

Luxury bathrooms rarely feel busy, even when they’re generously sized or heavily used. That calm isn’t about having fewer products or more discipline, it’s the result of deliberate planning that anticipates how the space will be used every single day. In high-end homes, bathrooms are treated as environments rather than utility rooms. Designers think carefully about movement, sightlines, and what...

When the owners of this 2002 traditional rambler in Shakopee, Minnesota, wanted to refresh their beige-and-brown kitchen with its short cabinets and angled peninsula, they turned to design-build pros Steve McDonald and Angela Barnhart. With a large blended family of six young adults and...

We spend roughly a third of our lives in our bedrooms, yet they tend to get short shrift when it comes to remodeling budgets. Fortunately, whether your bedroom is big or small, these 10 relatively easy, inexpensive changes can make a big difference in how it looks and feels — and might even help...

U.S. homebuilder confidence edged higher in December but remained firmly in pessimistic territory to end 2025, underscoring the persistent strain of high construction costs, policy uncertainty and affordability pressures that continue to sideline would-be buyers. The National Association of Home Builders / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index rose one point to 39 in December 2025, according to data released...

Out-of-state investment in U.S. single-family homes remains elevated in 2025, even as the housing market continues to cool from pandemic-era extremes, according to new data from SFR Analytics. Nonresident investors accounted for 5.56% of single-family home purchases nationwide this year. That share is slightly below 2024 levels and well under the 2021 peak, but it remains close to the pre-pandemic...

When it comes to home renovation, it’s never been easier to pop a few images of your kitchen into an AI tool and ask it to paint the walls a new color or change the cabinets. These tools are fun and helpful for inspiration, but like an unused Pinterest board, often leave users without any actionable path forward. AI has the potential to transform home renovations and the real estate industry at...