Weekly Housing Headlines

Mortgage applications decreased 1.8% from one week earlier; mortgage applications for new home purchases increased 2.0% compared from a year ago; a Realtor.com Gen Z survey finds that 82% of respondents believe it’s harder for their generation to buy a home compared to previous ones; the effects of the federal government shutdown are beginning to ripple through Florida’s housing market; and September’s mortgage refinance wave was the largest in more than two years.

Mortgage Applications Decreased in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 10/15/2025
Mortgage applications decreased 1.8 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending October 10, 2025.

September New Home Purchase Mortgage Applications Increased 2.0 Percent
Mortgage Bankers Association - 10/16/2025
The Mortgage Bankers Association Builder Application Survey data for September 2025 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases increased 2.0 percent compared from a year ago.

Gen Z Balances Ambition and Affordability in the Pursuit of Homeownership
Realtor.com - 10/15/2025
A new Realtor.com survey of 1,000 adults ages 18–27 who currently own or hope to own a home found that 82% of respondents believe it’s harder for their generation to buy a home compared to previous ones.

The Government Shutdown Is Hitting the Housing Market Hard — and Florida Shows What’s at Stake
Realtor.com - 10/14/2025
While Congress remains at a standstill, the effects of the federal government shutdown are beginning to ripple through Florida’s housing market — and the fallout could soon reach the rest of the country.

September’s mortgage refinance wave was the largest in more than two years
Scotsman Guide - 10/14/2025
The September 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report from Optimal Blue showed total lock volume rose 28% from August to September. Refinance volumes drove the increase.

Weekly Housing Trends: Latest Data as of Oct. 11
Realtor.com - 10/16/2025
Homes continue to spend more time on the market than last year, and prices remain flat, signaling higher inventory and lower competition.

Housing Market Predictions: Will Home Prices Drop in 2026?
The Mortgage Reports - 10/15/2025
Will prices finally ease, or will limited supply keep the pressure on? To get a clearer picture, we gathered expert housing market predictions for 2026 to explore what buyers and sellers can expect in the year ahead.

New Listings Creep Up As Would-Be Homebuyers Back Off, Haunted By High Prices and Economic Unease
Redfin - 10/16/2025
Even though mortgage rates are sitting near their lowest level in a year, house hunters are spooked by stubbornly high home prices and jitters about a possible recession and the government shutdown.

Custom Home Building Share Declines in 2024
Eye On Housing - 10/14/2025
In 2024, 17.5% of all new single-family homes started were custom homes. This share decreased from 18.8% in 2023 and from 20.4% in 2022, according to data tabulated from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction.

Profiting from price premiums
Cotality - 10/10/2025
Investors are reshaping the housing market, routinely paying 1.8%–4.3% over market value and outcompeting buyers with cash offers and fast closings. As a result, starter homes are increasingly out of reach.