First time home buyers

Recent data from several organizations further highlights affordability challenges and souring consumer sentiment, while a growing number of economists think the market has peaked.

California could soon help first-time home buyers with their down payments and mortgage costs under a proposed $1-billion program to make homeownership more financially feasible for low- and middle-income residents.

Allowing VantageScore to compete in the mainstream mortgage market may help to close the racial homeownership and financial wealth gap by increasing homeownership opportunities for underserved populations, writes the president and CEO of HomeFree-USA.

For first-time buyers, mortgage payments jumped to 25.6% of household incomes in the fourth quarter, the worst affordability level in three years, according to the National Association of Realtors.

These suburbs offered easy access to both major metros and the outdoors, cozy neighborhoods and affordability, according to Realtor.com.

A lack of awareness about assistance programs and apprehension hold back many consumers who could otherwise afford to buy a home, according to a new survey.

The sharp increases of the pandemic era have added nearly a year to the amount of time the average consumer needs to save for a 20% down payment, according to Tomo.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency in the Trump administration had been preoccupied with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s capital position. Acting Director Sandra Thompson has shifted the agency’s focus to affordable housing and fair lending.

Measuring factors from affordability to quality of life, local lenders give insights to the top metro areas for new buyers, according to WalletHub.

The owners say they’re largely making the changes for their enjoyment rather than to increase the value of their property.