[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f17vph8hsfbc6q":3,"$ffeh0925h8cuz":55,"$f2emv3tus0uf1":59,"$fbwk2pqjjqsc7":63},{"item":4,"previous":43,"next":49},{"id":5,"slug":6,"title":7,"description":8,"excerpt":9,"contentType":10,"featuredImage":11,"bannerImage":9,"body":12,"agentsBottomLine":13,"bodyImage":14,"isInfographic":15,"categories":16,"isVideo":15,"videoThumbnail":9,"videoSource":9,"publishedAt":41,"updatedAt":42},109374,"the-housing-market-is-stronger-than-you-think","The Housing Market Is Stronger Than You Think","\u003Cp>You've probably heard plenty of doom and gloom about the housing market lately.\u003C\u002Fp>","","blog","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260630\u002FHeader-Image-Spring-2021-Buyer-Guide-3--original.png","\u003Cp>You've probably heard plenty of doom and gloom about the housing market lately. High rates. Stretched budgets. Headlines that make buying or selling sound like a terrible idea. But the data tells a very different story. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>This isn't 2020 or 2021. It was never going to be. Those were the \"unicorn years\" – historic low mortgage rates, bidding wars on everything, homes flying off the market in days. That kind of market was a once-in-a-generation anomaly, not a baseline. So, when people compare today to that, of course it looks rough.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>But compared to almost any other housing market in modern history? This one is holding up remarkably well.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Homeowners Are Sitting on a Mountain of Equity\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\u003Cp>One of the biggest reasons this market hasn't cracked is the financial strength of the American homeowner. According to \u003Cem>Federal Reserve\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffred.stlouisfed.org\u002Ftags\u002Fseries?t=real+estate\">data\u003C\u002Fa>, homeowner equity and mortgage debt were nearly identical in 2008. That means, if someone hit a rough patch, they had almost nothing to fall back on. That’s what made that crash so bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Today? Total homeowner equity across the country sits at $35 trillion – dwarfing total mortgage debt (\u003Cem>see graph below\u003C\u002Fem>):\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260630\u002F20260701-Why-2026-original.png\" alt=\"a graph of a market\">That gap means most homeowners aren’t stretched thin or one bad month away from trouble. They own a meaningful chunk of their home and that gives them options. If they needed to sell, many could because they have a cushion. And that cushion grows over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul style=\"list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 1rem;\">\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Realtor.com\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.realtor.com\u002Fnews\u002Ftrends\u002Fhome-equity-millionaires-housing-market\u002F\">found\u003C\u002Fa> that homeowners who've been in their home just 5 years have built up around $180,000 in equity on average. Stick around 6-10 years, and that jumps to over $340,000.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>Data from \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.attomdata.com\u002Fnews\u002Fmarket-trends\u002Fhome-sales-prices\u002Fq1-2026-home-equity-and-underwater-report\u002F\">\u003Cem>ATTOM\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa> and the \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fdata.census.gov\u002Ftable\u002FACSDT1Y2022.B25027?q=mortgage\">\u003Cem>Census\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa> shows two-thirds of homeowners either own their home outright or have more than 50% equity.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp>That's not a fragile market. That’s a population of homeowners who are financially positioned to sell, to stay, or to make their next move from a place of strength rather than pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Low Rates and Low Foreclosures\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\u003Cp>At the same time, \u003Cem>Federal Housing Finance Agency\u003C\u002Fem> (FHFA) \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fhfa.gov\u002Fdata\u002Fnmdb\">data\u003C\u002Fa> shows more than half of all active mortgages still carry a rate below 4% (\u003Cem>see graph below\u003C\u002Fem>): \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260630\u002F20260701-The-Lock-In-Effect-original.png\" alt=\"a chart with text on it\">That's a big reason inventory stays tight. Those homeowners aren't in a rush to trade their rate for a higher one. They’re sitting comfortably in a strong financial position, not scrambling.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>That comfort shows up in the \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002F2026\u002F05\u002F13\u002Fwhat-the-foreclosure-headlines-arent-telling-you\u002F\">foreclosure\u003C\u002Fa> numbers, too. Despite a slight recent uptick, foreclosure volumes remain dramatically below historical norms, \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.attomdata.com\u002Fnews\u002Fmarket-trends\u002Fforeclosures\u002Fmay-2026-foreclosure-market-report\u002F\">according\u003C\u002Fa> to \u003Cem>ATTOM\u003C\u002Fem>. Homeowners aren't losing their homes in droves. They have equity, they have breathing room, and most have options that keep them out of financial distress.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Prices Are Stabilizing, Not Crashing\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\u003Cp>Here’s another point on the resilience of the market. \u003Cem>Redfin\u003C\u002Fem> research shows home \u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002F2026\u002F06\u002F17\u002Fthink-home-prices-will-crash-heres-what-the-experts-actually-expect\u002F\">prices\u003C\u002Fa> are still rising, but the pace has slowed, now closer to 2% year-over-year nationally (\u003Cem>see graph below\u003C\u002Fem>):\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260630\u002F20260701-A-Resilient-Market-original.png\" alt=\"a graph of a line graph\">That slowdown is good news, as Daryl Fairweather, Chief Economist at \u003Cem>Redfin\u003C\u002Fem>, explains:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cblockquote>\u003Cp>\u003Cem>“We’re in the middle of a long-term housing market correction, \u003C\u002Fem>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>not a housing market crash.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cem> After the pandemic-era frenzy sent prices soaring and inventory to historic lows, \u003C\u002Fem>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>the market needed a reset.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cem>”\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fblockquote>","\u003Cp>This market isn't broken, and waiting for a crash that isn't coming has a cost. Every month spent on the sidelines is a month someone else is building equity, locking in a price, or getting ahead of what most experts expect to be a housing surge once broader economic conditions settle.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Whether you're thinking about buying or selling, a local real estate agent can help you figure out what this market means for your specific situation and what your next move could look like.\u003C\u002Fp>","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260630\u002F20260701-Why-2026-original.png",false,[17,21,25,29,33,37],{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},5,"For Buyers","buyers",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},6,"For Sellers","sellers",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},7,"Foreclosures","foreclosures",{"id":30,"name":31,"slug":32},9,"Home Prices","home-prices",{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36},35,"Mortgage Rates","mortgage-rates",{"id":38,"name":39,"slug":40},326,"Equity","equity","2026-07-01T10:30:00Z","2026-06-30T16:52:07Z",{"id":44,"slug":45,"title":46,"featuredImage":47,"publishedAt":48,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},109220,"the-1-factor-that-explains-everything-happening-with-home-prices-right-now","The 1 Factor That Explains Everything Happening with Home Prices Right Now","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260625\u002FHeader-Image-GettyImages-2213672932-original.png","2026-06-29T10:30:00Z",{"id":50,"slug":51,"title":52,"featuredImage":53,"publishedAt":54,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},109379,"down-payments-are-smaller-than-theyve-been-since-2021","Down Payments Are Smaller Than They’ve Been Since 2021","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260630\u002FHeader-Image-GettyImages-1492289682-original.png","2026-07-02T10:30:00Z",{"cover":56,"open":57,"shareSpread":58},"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Cover-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Spread-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Magazine-original.png",{"cover":60,"open":61,"shareSpread":62},"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Sellers-Guide-Cover-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Sellers-Guide-Spread-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Sellers-Guide-Magazine-original.png",[64,68,69,70,71,75,76,80,84,85,89,93,97,101,105,109,113,117,121,125,129,133,137,141,145,149,150,154,158,162],{"id":65,"name":66,"slug":67},1,"Uncategorized","uncategorized",{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},{"id":72,"name":73,"slug":74},8,"Infographics","infographics",{"id":30,"name":31,"slug":32},{"id":77,"name":78,"slug":79},11,"First-Time Buyers","first-time-buyers",{"id":81,"name":82,"slug":83},34,"Senior Market","senior-market",{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36},{"id":86,"name":87,"slug":88},38,"Move-Up","move-up",{"id":90,"name":91,"slug":92},41,"For Sale by Owner","for-sale-by-owner",{"id":94,"name":95,"slug":96},42,"Featured","featured",{"id":98,"name":99,"slug":100},45,"New Construction","new-construction",{"id":102,"name":103,"slug":104},52,"Luxury \u002F Vacation","luxury--vacation",{"id":106,"name":107,"slug":108},53,"Rent vs. Buy","rent-vs-buy",{"id":110,"name":111,"slug":112},80,"Time-sensitive","time-sensitive",{"id":114,"name":115,"slug":116},81,"Outdated","outdated",{"id":118,"name":119,"slug":120},147,"Internal","internal",{"id":122,"name":123,"slug":124},148,"Do Not Autopost","do-not-autopost",{"id":126,"name":127,"slug":128},320,"Inventory","inventory",{"id":130,"name":131,"slug":132},321,"Agent Value","agent-value",{"id":134,"name":135,"slug":136},322,"Affordability","affordability",{"id":138,"name":139,"slug":140},323,"Buying Tips","buying-tips",{"id":142,"name":143,"slug":144},324,"Downsize","downsize",{"id":146,"name":147,"slug":148},325,"Economy","economy",{"id":38,"name":39,"slug":40},{"id":151,"name":152,"slug":153},327,"Forecasts","forecasts",{"id":155,"name":156,"slug":157},328,"Selling Tips","selling-tips",{"id":159,"name":160,"slug":161},339,"Expired\u002FWithdrawn\u002FCanceled","expiredwithdrawncanceled",{"id":163,"name":164,"slug":165},340,"Price It Right\u002FOverpricing","price-it-rightoverpricing"]