The hottest Homeownership Substack posts right now

Owning a home comes with hidden costs and perpetual maintenance tasks.
There is pressure to conform to market trends when it comes to home design for potential resale value.
The concept of home ownership is deeply intertwined with societal expectations, financial security, and market influences.

Homeowners with low interest rates might be hesitant to sell due to higher mortgage rates, impacting the overall housing market.
Rising mortgage rates create a 'lock-in effect,' reducing the probability of home sales and affecting affordability.
The lock-in effect contributes to limited housing supply, increases home prices, and restricts mobility, but is expected to fade over time.

Homeownership in America is rising, with 10 million new homeowners since 2015.
Despite stretched affordability, more middle-income households under 45 are buying homes.
Even with high housing costs and mortgage rates, there's a surprising increase in homeownership.

During the housing bubble, many homeowners used their perceived home equity as a 'Home ATM,' contributing to the subsequent housing bust when prices declined.
Refinancing activity declined in early 2022 as mortgage rates rose, leading to a shift where homeowners started using home equity loans to access their equity.
Despite a decline in demand for HELOCs and a decrease in refinancing activity, Mortgage Equity Withdrawal (MEW) remained low throughout Q4 2023, indicating balanced equity borrowing and principal payments.

It might not be financially advantageous to treat housing as an investment.
Expecting home prices to always rise like stock prices can have negative societal impacts.
Rising home prices widen the wealth gap between homeowners and renters, leading to potential instability.

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Homeownership in America is becoming increasingly difficult due to rising prices and rates.
Demographics, such as race, play a significant role in homeownership disparities.
Recommendations include increasing affordable housing supply, including rent payments in credit scores, and expanding federal loan programs.

Regulatory changes post-Great Recession have made small dollar loans less available, leading to high denial rates
Mortgage standards can create barriers, pushing buyers towards riskier agreements and impacting property prices
Competition from all-cash buyers is high for small dollar homes, affecting mortgage approval rates and market dynamics