Buyers Are Coming Back to the Market As Rates Ease

After two very challenging years, we're finally starting to see some improvement in existing-home sales. Activity in 2023 and 2024 fell to the lowest levels we've seen in nearly 30 years, and 2025 didn't start much differently. Elevated mortgage rates kept many buyers on the sidelines, even if they were eager to make a move.

This fall, however, the market is beginning to improve. As mortgage rates eased, sales started to pick up from the very slow pace seen in the previous year. It's not a dramatic jump, and it is still below what we expected, but it is a meaningful sign that buyers are re-engaging as affordability conditions improve.

Pennsylvania Home Sales Climb 4.5% in Latest Monthly Report

The number of homes on the market and the median sales price held nearly even with last month’s figures, according to the latest housing report prepared for the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®. However, sales were up 4.5% compared to the previous month.

There were more than 43,600 listings in October, which reflects little change from the 43,300 listings in September. Listings are up about 50% compared to earlier this year, with just over 29,000 in January. The median price for the homes sold last month was $300,000, up minimally from $299,900 in September.

The commonwealth saw a 4.5% increase in the number of sales in October, compared to September, showing continued consumer interest in owning a home. Sales were up 6.4% year-over-year.

‘For Sale by Owner’ Transactions Hit an All-Time Low, Report Finds

The days of trying to sell a home without an agent are dwindling, with for sale by owner transactions at an all-time low.

Known as FSBO, those sales now comprise just 5% of home sales, according to the National Association of Realtors 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

That's 16% less than in 1985, when FSBO transactions made up a sizable 21% of home sales.

"It does not surprise me that FSBO sales are at a historic low," real estate agent and investor Ron Myers, of Ron Buys Florida Homes, tells Realtor.com®.

How Homeowners Are Using Home Equity To Improve Their Lives

Instead of moving to upgrade their lifestyles, more homeowners are using home equity lines of credit and home equity loans to improve where they live.

It is estimated that three-quarters of homeowners plan to remain in their current home for the next two years, as low interest rates on their current mortgage influence their decision to stay where they are.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t want – or need – to change their living environment to suit their family’s needs. Two in three homeowners (66%) are currently renovating or planning to renovate in the next two years.

Homebuyers Are Willing To Pay a Premium for One Perk: Walkability

Homebuyers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for a certain perk—and it's not a swimming pool, three-car garage, or two kitchens.

A survey from the National Association of Realtors® showed that Americans are prioritizing walkability in a way they haven't since the pre-Henry Ford era.

79% of respondents rated walkability as “very” or “somewhat” important, and 78% said they’d pay more for the privilege, according to the 2023 survey.

Philadelphia Ranks Among Ten Best Sports Cities for Fans in the Country

Philadelphia ranked among the top ten cities in the nation that have the best vibes for sports fans, according to a recently released report by WalletHub, writes Lauren Barry for KYW Newsradio.

The ranking compared nearly 400 towns nationwide using 50 key metrics across football, baseball, basketball, soccer and hockey.

“Sports can cause rivalries between cities, but can also give people a deep appreciation for places other than their hometown,” said Chris Lupo, an analyst from WalletHub. “The best sports cities overall tend to be those with the highest-performing, most-popular professional teams.”

Only Pennsylvania and California managed to secure two spots in the top ten on the list.

Young Americans Expect to Inherit $335,000 on Average

Economists project that over the next 25 years, baby boomers will pass more than $100 trillion of wealth to their heirs in what is being called the “Great Wealth Transfer,” according to Choice Mutual.

On average, millennials and Gen Zers expect to inherit an average of $334,850, with the specific breakdown as follows:

25% expecting to inherit under $50,000
34% expecting to inherit $50,000-$200,000
18% expecting to inherit $200,000-400,000
15% expecting to inherit $400,000-$1 million
8% expecting to inherit $1 million or more

Applications for New Home Purchases Dipped in October But Remain at Healthy Levels

Applications for mortgages for new home purchases decreased 1% in October compared with September and were down 2.6% on an unadjusted basis compared with a year ago, but remain at healthy levels, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS).

New single-family home sales were running at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 771,000 units, an increase of 13.4% compared with the September pace of 680,000 units.

On an unadjusted basis, the MBA estimates that there were 55,000 new home sales in October, an increase of 1.9% compared with 54,000 in September.

Hosting the Holidays Still Matters: How Thanksgiving Is Impacting Young Buyers’ Housing Decisions

Whether hosting Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving, the younger generations looking to purchase a home want to make sure they have the space to do up the holidays right.

A new Realtor.com® survey found that the majority of potential millennial and Gen Z homeowners factored in holiday hosting when looking at a new place to live.

Moreover, while big kitchens and dining rooms were front of mind, they also knew the benefit of having extra bathrooms. Ever heard of "Brown Friday"?