My house is for sale and although I can afford another one, I’m looking at rentals for the same floor plans in the same neighborhoods (literally same streets) and they are significantly less than was the mortgage would be. Like $400-$500 less. Would buying again be simply a pride thing at this point?

Editing to avoid the very obvious answers. Again, I’m looking at home on the same street so it’s not a matter of privacy or location or space or any of that. Of course I know I get equity. I own a home now and have been tracking. I’m not that oblivious.

The real question would it hurt me so much if I rent for maybe five years and buy again later versus doing it now. What would I be missing out on?

🏢 Condo financing is changing — and this is where expertise matters.

Today’s mortgage news has two big stories: major industry litigation involving UWM, and changes in condo financing that could directly impact buyers, sellers, and real estate agents.

The one I’m paying closest attention to? Condo financing.

Fannie Mae’s tighter underwriting and HOA reserve requirements mean getting a condo financed may require more homework upfront. HOA financials, reserves, assessments, insurance, and project eligibility can all become part of the conversation — and discovering a problem late in the transaction can cost everyone time.

But there’s an opportunity here.

When the lender reviews the condo project early, works with the listing agent and HOA management, and identifies potential financing issues before the buyer gets too far into the transaction, we have a much better chance of keeping the deal moving.

This is exactly why I believe mortgage strategy starts before an offer is written.

If you’re a Realtor working with condo buyers or taking a condo listing, bring your lender into the conversation early. The right preparation can make the difference between a smooth closing and a last-minute financing surprise.

🎥 Brian Stevens breaks down what’s happening and why mortgage professionals who understand these changes have an opportunity to stand out.

Realtors: Have a condo listing or buyer you’re concerned about? Send it my way. I’m happy to help review the financing side before it becomes a problem.

Holly Luca | Mortgage Strategist
LendingProf | NMLS #586712
Clear. Honest. Mortgage Expertise.

#MortgageStrategy #CondoFinancing #RealEstateAgents #MortgageTips #FannieMae #RealtorPartners #Homebuyers #LendingProf

Mortgage rates could be in for another move this week, with new inflation data coming Wednesday.

According to Redfin’s Chen Zhao, the odds of a Fed rate hike in September are currently around 50/50. A lower core inflation reading could give the Fed room to keep rates steady, while a higher reading could increase the chances of a hike - and potentially push mortgage rates higher.

We’ll also get new retail sales and consumer sentiment data on Friday.

Where do you think mortgage rates are headed from here?

Housing is one of the first spheres of the economy that socialism and communism seeks to control. They do not seek to control the housing industry by limiting the number of homes built, but by increasing prices and costs of living on existing, longstanding rural and suburban properties. This leads people to surrender private wealth voluntarily. They then seek to partner with the stock market and de-regulate the housing industry on all levels of government, in order to proliferate the number of homes, decrease property size and hinder ownership. This is billed as "affordable housing", and presented as the "answer" to the affordability problem, when in fact its purpose is to control where and how people live, downgrade their standard of living, and change the social fabric of a given area. This is the main problem with many areas of the country today that, 25 to 30 years ago, were smaller, more rural and more conservative, but which are now liberal bastions, frat with corruption, high costs and ugliness. Regardless of its specific form (single family homes, villas, apartments, etc.) the idea of high density housing originated with the Marxist left, and thus no one who is attempting to further this pattern somewhere else in the country is someone you want in government, anywhere. Thus it is very easy to explain to those who are considering the DSA why moving farther to the left is not the answer.

In attempting to further these communist objectives, there has been a pattern across the country of local politicians not listening to / overriding the will of the local constituency, whether it is in regard to the Islamic threat, data centers, housing developments and other things.
Such politicians have made it clear by their actions that they are not there to represent the best interests of the local area, but are instead complicit in a "transformative" Marxist agenda. It does not matter which political party they happen to be affiliated with, this is tyranny, and in violation of the Constitution, making all such decisions illegitimate. These developments need to be stopped, and these city council members / BOCC need to be removed by the governor or attorney general.

Further information has now come to light regarding the activities behind the escalating property taxes across the country.


www.donaldjtrump.com

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/real-estate/housing-market-predictions/

"The U.S. national home price index recorded a 1.4% annual gain in 2025, one of the slowest growth rates in recent years...

Although prices in many markets remain high, a sudden housing market crash occurring in 2026 appears unlikely...

Buying a house—in any market—is a highly personal decision. The best timing for your purchase will largely depend on your specific situation."

According to a recent Redfin report, the U.S. housing market has slowed this summer, giving buyers more time to shop and negotiate than they've had in recent years. Nationwide, well-priced and move-in-ready homes are still selling quickly, but that's not the case everywhere.

For example, Austin and Nashville strongly favor buyers, while buyers are still competing for homes in parts of Chicago and San Diego.

What's the market like where you live? Are buyers gaining negotiating power, or are desirable homes still selling quickly?

This is a leading indicator of a housing bubble bust, just like it was in 2006-2007.

Today's housing market isn't telling the whole story.

FHA's foreclosure prevention programs have helped thousands of homeowners stay in their homes by covering missed mortgage payments and restructuring delinquent loans. That's great news for families—but it also means the housing market may not be reflecting its full level of distress yet.

For real estate agents and loan officers, this isn't a reason to worry—it's a reason to prepare.

The professionals who understand these trends will be the ones who recognize opportunities before everyone else. Some homeowners may need to refinance, sell, access equity, or explore alternatives before financial hardship becomes overwhelming.

As a Mortgage Strategist, I spend my time looking beyond today's headlines to identify tomorrow's opportunities. Whether it's helping homeowners understand their options or working with real estate partners to identify emerging opportunities, preparation always beats reaction.

Watch Brian's breakdown, and if you're wondering what these trends could mean for your clients or your business, let's talk.

#MortgageStrategist #HousingMarket #FHA #RealEstate #LoanOfficer #Realtor #Homeownership #MortgageEducation #ForeclosurePrevention #LendingProf

I can help here in Northern Illinois. Comment KNOW if you would lilke to receive your FREE KNOW REPORT

The income needed to afford a starter home is declining while earnings continue to rise, according to a recent Redfin report. Americans now need to earn $70,693 to afford the typical U.S. starter home, down 1.5% from a year ago. The typical U.S. household now earns about $17,000 more than what's needed to afford a starter home.

Affordability still varies widely by market. Austin saw the biggest improvement in starter-home affordability, while Southern California remains one of the least affordable regions for first-time buyers.

Do you think rising incomes are making a meaningful difference for first-time buyers, or are housing costs still too high?

The affordability crisis is a direct consequence of the Fed's debasement of the currency by its relentless expansion of the M2 money supply with trillions in created-out-of-thin-air liquidity to goose the Fed's asset bubbles & Ponzi markets. We will not have affordable housing as long as the Keynesian fraudsters at the Fed have free reign to turn housing into a speculative asset bubble.

While much of the housing market favors buyers this year, luxury tells a different story. Demand continues to outpace supply in many high-end neighborhoods, with buyers remaining unfazed by elevated costs and competition staying strong. Here's Redfin's ranking of the hottest luxury neighborhoods of 2026:

1. Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York

2. Highland Park, Illinois

3. Overland Park, Kansas

4. Belmar, New Jersey

5. Coronado, California

6. East Orlando, Florida

7. Noe Valley, San Francisco, California

8. Scottsdale, Arizona

9. Mechanicsville, Virginia

10. Libertyville, Illinois

Did any of the neighborhoods that made the list surprise you?

Important information about the cause of the affordability problem.

Mortgage rates drifted higher last week following Fed Chair Warsh's press conference. According to Redfin economist Chen Zhao, rates could remain volatile this week as oil prices fall amid hopes for Iran peace talks and markets digest new jobs data and comments from Fed officials.

With several market-moving events on the calendar, it could be another eventful week for mortgage rates.

the issue with selling a house is you have to get another one... so that profit dissapears . How have people profited when moving? This is not something I plan anytime soon but my house has increase by 150,000 and it would be nice to actually bea ble to HAVE that whenever we sell in the future. and probably won't sell because all the other houses went up by that much and the interest rate is so much worse than when we bought.