A lot of people are waiting for the housing market to “calm down.” The surprising part is that, in one important way, it already has. A recent Talker Research survey asked Americans to choose one word to describe how 2026 has felt so far. The top answer was stressful. That feels believable. Between inflation worries, interest rates, job uncertainty, and the constant stream of mixed headlines, it is easy to assume the housing market must be on the edge of something dramatic. B

The age of a house can change almost everything about the purchase, from the inspection report to the insurance quote to the way Saturday mornings feel after you move in. A newer home may offer predictability and lower maintenance. An older home may offer character, a bigger lot, and a neighborhood that already feels settled. The trick is not choosing “old” or “new” because one is always better. The trick is knowing what each age range usually comes with, then matching that t

A home sale can look solid one week and start wobbling the next. The offer is signed. The moving boxes are out. Everyone is talking about closing day. Then an inspection turns up a problem, the buyer’s loan hits a snag, or another sale in the chain gets delayed. Most home sales do make it to the finish line. But when a deal falls apart before closing, it usually happens for a few common reasons. A Redfin survey points to several of the biggest issues that can derail a sale, i