WWH

For years, many people have believed you need a 20% down payment to buy a home. But in today’s market, that’s simply not the reality for most buyers. So, how much are buyers actually putting down? According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median down payment for first-time homebuyers is just 10%—significantly lower than the traditional 20% benchmark. And depending on the loan type, some buyers are able to put down even less. This is important because it shifts how you think...

At some point, it’s natural to start thinking about the future and asking a simple but important question: “Can I stay in this home long-term… or would moving make more sense?” It’s rarely an urgent decision. More often, it shows up in everyday moments—walking up the stairs, keeping up with maintenance, or imagining what the next phase of life might look like in your current space. For many people, the answer is clear: they’d prefer to stay right where they are. In fact, research from the USC...

For the past few years, affordability has been what’s stopped a lot of buyers in their tracks. Maybe it stopped you, too. At some point you probably did the math, looked at the monthly payment, and decided to pause your search and wait for things to get better. But here’s something you may have missed while you’ve been sitting on the sidelines. Over the last year, housing affordability has improved in all 50 states. Yes, you read that right. It’s gotten better in every single state. That’s...