According to National Association of REALTORS® research, a 1% decrease in rates adds as many as 5.5 million households—including 1.6 million renters—to the pool of potential buyers. NAR is forecasting that rates could fall to 6% in 2026. First-time buyers may stand to benefit the most. Also, rate declines could spark current homeowners to move, which would further improve housing inventory.

Social media algorithms love video. But many agents won't use video in their marketing because they don't like the way they look and sound on camera. Real estate video coach Kim Rittberg spoke at NAR NXT last month and offered "five C's" for overcoming your video reluctance.

There are many data points that go into forecasting the real estate market outlook. In the latest installment of "Ask the Economist," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun explains why he pays close attention to three factors: the 10-year Treasury yield, job market conditions and inventory.

Homeownership affordability is reaching crisis levels, with a recent Bankrate report revealing that nearly three-quarters of Americans cannot afford to buy a home. In Utah, the gap between incomes and home prices is particularly stark—households now need to earn almost $169,000 annually to afford a typical three-bedroom home. Experts advise potential buyers to focus on realistic budgeting and financial planning rather than waiting for a dramatic drop in interest rates.

The Upper East Side luxury real estate market saw nine deals over $4 million last week, according to the Olshan Report. The most notable sale was the townhouse featured in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," which sold for $12.5 million. Other significant sales include an $11.88 million condo at 900 Park Avenue and a $10.99 million townhouse at 22 East 78th Street.

California's build-to-rent development has been slow in recent years as a result of affordability concerns. Northern and Southern California have delivered about 1.2% and 1.1% of their inventory this year, respectively. Developers are looking to more affordable markets, including the Inland Empire and Palm Desert areas. San Francisco has seen no completions in the past two years. However, construction is picking up, exemplified by a 700-unit project in Mountain View.

Amazon has introduced a facial recognition feature called Familiar Faces for its Ring doorbells, allowing users to identify visitors by name. While Amazon says the feature is optional and data is encrypted, lawmakers and privacy groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation are raising concerns about potential misuse and increased surveillance.

Despite high home prices, affordable homes can still be found in desirable U.S. metros, with Realtor.com highlighting properties under $200,000 in Wichita Falls, Texas; Elmira, N.Y.; Pottsville, Pa.; Ottawa, Ill.; and St. Joseph, Mo. These homes offer unique features such as updated kitchens, spacious layouts and potential for income generation.

The Federal Housing Administration's ban on new mortgages for nonpermanent residents, including H-1B visa holders, has led to a sharp decline in FHA mortgage locks by this group, dropping from 3.8% to 0.2% in a year. This policy shift is expected to squeeze entry-level homebuying in key markets like Fayetteville, Ark., where Walmart has paused H-1B hiring due to new fees.

The Federal Reserve announced another quarter-point interest-rate reduction at the end of its meeting this week, although it signaled a potentially cautious approach ahead. "We're well positioned to wait and see how the economy evolves from here," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said. The meeting showed an unusual amount of division, with three officials dissenting from the decision.