🏡 Real Estate Update: Best Affordability in 2.5 Years (With a Catch)

Here’s what’s happening right now in the housing market — and what it means for you.

1️⃣ Affordability Just Hit a 2.5-Year High 💸📉

A new report from ICE Mortgage Technology shows that home affordability is the best it’s been in about 2.5 years, mainly because mortgage rates have eased from their peak earlier in 2025.

30-year fixed: mid–6% range
15-year fixed: mid–5% range

So no, rates aren’t “cheap”…but they’re not as painful as they were.

2️⃣ The Catch: Prices + Inventory 🏠📈

Even with slightly better affordability, ICE is seeing:

🧱 Home prices starting to firm up again instead of dropping
📉 Inventory tightening in many areas
🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ More buyers stepping back in as rates improved

Translation:Slightly lower rates are helping, but:

Sellers aren’t slashing prices
There still aren’t enough homes in many markets

3️⃣ What This Means For You (In Any State) 🌎

❌ Don’t wait around for 3% rates — experts don’t see that coming back any time soon
✅ Focus on what you can control:
🔁 Even a 0.5% rate change can make a real difference in your monthly payment
🗺 Local markets > national headlines

4️⃣ If You’re In This Community, Here’s Your Next Move 🔑

📚 Go to Building Your Buying Power lessons→ Tighten up your credit, DTI, savings, and readiness
🧭 Use The Buying Blueprint→ So you’re ready when the right house and rate line up
📰 Watch the Real Estate News category→ Get used to asking Questions!

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References for this data:

🔗 ICE Mortgage Monitor – October 2025 report (home affordability 2.5-year high):https://mortgagetech.ice.com/resources/data-reports/october-2025-mortgage-monitor

If you want a more readable media summary of the same data, you can also reference:

🔗 Article summarizing the report:https://www.mpamag.com/us/mortgage-industry/market-updates/good-news-for-homebuyers-as-affordability-hits-25-year-high/552081

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