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...

A Massachusetts judge has barred home equity contract provider Hometap from arguing that state regulators previously approved or implicitly sanctioned the company’s business model — strengthening the attorney general’s consumer protection lawsuit against Hometap. In a Dec. 19 decision, Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Debra Squires-Lee ruled that such fairness-based arguments cannot be used to...

U.S. home price growth remained muted in October as high mortgage rates and affordability constraints continued to weigh on the housing market, according to data released Tuesday by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index rose 1.4% from a year earlier — up slightly from a 1.3% annual increase in September. Despite the modest uptick, price growth...

Over the past few years, the mortgage industry has seen a significant decline in the number of loan originators. Loan officer burnout is a constant reality of the job, and what starts as long hours or a stressful month can gradually evolve into exhaustion, irritability, detachment and a loss of passion for work that once felt meaningful. Rather than appearing overnight, burnout builds quietly as work-life...

Set deep in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Bonny Hall is the kind of property that rarely changes hands — not because it’s flashy or trend-driven, but because estates of this scale, history, and setting are almost impossible to replicate today. Spanning 86 acres along the banks of the Combahee River, the property occupies land once shaped by the rice plantation era and now reimagined as a fully...

Luxury homes excel at many things, but perfection isn’t guaranteed in the sale contract — regardless of the final price tag. In fact, some of the most expensive houses on the market struggle with issues that feel surprisingly basic once daily life sets in. These shortcomings aren’t mistakes so much as byproducts of priorities that skew toward aesthetics, status, or idealized lifestyles rather...

Some renovations are executed so well they rival new builds. They feature beautiful materials, thoughtful details, and craftsmanship that’s hard to fault. At first glance, it can be difficult to tell where renovation ends and true custom construction begins. The difference usually isn’t visible in finishes alone. It lives in decisions made much earlier in the process — before tile samples, before...

This primary bathroom was part of the remodel of a family home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, that also included the kitchen and mudroom. A referral from another client led the homeowners to Black Forest Design and Build, which handled the redesign and construction work. The primary suite changes...