Attom Data Solutions

While buying a home in most markets results in lower monthly housing payments, in the nation's most populated counties renting is the more affordable option, Attom Data Solutions said.

Despite home prices continuing to rise faster than household income, affordability gains inched up due to the low mortgage rate landscape, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Among the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, home prices hibernate and offer consumers the best time to buy a house, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Median home prices rose annually by more than the national average of 8.3% in nearly half of low-income areas with certain tax advantages, according to Attom Data Solutions.

The third-quarter delinquency rate fell to its lowest point since 1995, according to the MBA. However, Attom Data Solutions' numbers show foreclosure filings experienced a near-term growth spurt in October.

As more people have gotten into the flipping business, and as home costs continue to increase and inventory shrinks, the profitability of fix and flips has dwindled.

The share of severely underwater mortgages shrunk by over two percentage points compared with a year ago, as these borrowers benefited from the rise in equity levels, Attom Data Solutions said.

Years after the foreclosure crisis ended, the Tampa Bay area still has 305 "zombies'' — vacant homes in some stage of foreclosure.

The median value in the housing market shot to an all-time high between July and September, adding to affordability concerns, according to Attom Data Solutions.

While foreclosures and distressed mortgages continue to descend overall, trends are moving in the opposite direction in a handful of states, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Don't believe what you see on the cable shows — home flipping is a tough business.

Rising home prices are likely to constrain affordability for some time to come, with only the current low mortgage interest rate environment softening the blow, Attom Data Solutions said.

The dollar volume of financing to buy fix-and-flip properties increased 31% annually to its highest level since the heights of last decade's real estate boom, according to Attom Data Solutions.

While there was a slight rise in foreclosure filings in August over July, there was a decline when compared with the previous year for the 14th consecutive month, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Most homes located in Opportunity Zones sell for below the national median price.

About 80% of Opportunity Zones had median home prices below the national mark of $266,000 in the second quarter, with 47% of them below $150,000, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Foreclosure activity fell 21% in July compared to a year ago and rose 6% from June after twelve consecutive months of declines, according to Attom Data Solutions.

The share of abandoned homes by their owners continues to drop at a faster pace than the overall foreclosure rate, totaling half of what they were three years ago, Attom Data Solutions said.

Bucking a national trend, the Tampa Bay area saw an increase in new foreclosure filings in the first half of the year.

A more sustainable approach to home flipping is a responsible one that benefits not just real estate investors, but also the neighborhood, local economy and even the eventual resident.