Over the past couple of years, a lot of people have had a hard time buying a home. And while affordability is still tight, there are signs it's getting a little better and might keep improving throughout the rest of the year. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:“Housing affordability is improving ever so modestly, but it is moving in the right direction.”Here’s a look at the latest data on the three biggest factors affecting home affordability: mortgage rates, home prices, and wages. 1. Mortgage RatesMortgage rates have been volatile this year, bouncing around from the mid-6% to low 7% range. But there's some good news. Data from Freddie Mac shows rates have been trending down overall since May (see graph below):Mortgage rates have improved lately in part because of recent economic, employment, and inflation data. Moving forward, some rate volatility is to be expected. But if future economic data continues to show signs of cooling, experts say mortgage rates could keep going down. Even a small drop can help you out. When rates decline, it's easier to afford the home you want because your monthly payment will be lower. Just don’t expect them to go back down to 3%.2. Home PricesThe second big thing to think about is home prices. Nationally, they’re still going up this year, but not as fast as they did a couple of years ago. The graph below uses home price data from Case-Shiller to illustrate that point:If you're thinking about buying a home, slower price growth is good news. Home prices went up a lot during the pandemic, making it hard for many people to buy. Now, with prices rising more slowly, buying a home may feel less out of reach. As Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, says: “While housing affordability is low for potential first-time home buyers, slowing price appreciation and lower mortgage rates could help – so the dream of homeownership isn’t boarded up just yet.”3. WagesAnother factor helping with affordability is rising wages. The graph below uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to show how wages have increased over time:Look at the blue dotted line. It shows how wages usually go up in a typical year. On the right side of the graph, you'll see wages are rising even faster than normal right now – that's the green line.This helps you because if your income increases, it's easier to afford a home. That’s because you won't have to spend as much of your paycheck on your monthly mortgage payment.Bottom LineWhen you put all these factors together, you see mortgage rates are trending down, home prices are rising more slowly, and wages are going up faster than usual. Though affordability is still a challenge, these trends are early signs things might be starting to improve.

One of the biggest bright spots in today’s housing market is how much the supply of homes for sale has grown since the beginning of this year. Recent data from Realtor.com shows that nationally, there are 36.6% more homes actively for sale now compared to the same time last year. That’s a significant improvement. It gives you far more options for your move than you would’ve had just a year ago. And with supply improving, you’re also regaining a bit of negotiation power. So, if you’re someone who thought about buying a home over the last few years but was discouraged by how limited inventory was, this should be welcome news.As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: “Increased housing supply spells good news for consumers who want to see more properties before making purchasing decisions.”But just so you have perspective, even though inventory has grown, that doesn’t mean we’ve suddenly flipped to an oversupply of homes on the market. There are nowhere near enough homes for sale to make prices crash. If you compare today’s inventory levels to more normal, pre-pandemic numbers (2017–2019), there are still roughly 29% fewer homes actively for sale now (see graph below):So, while we’re up by almost 37% year-over-year, we’re still not back to how much inventory there’d be in a normal market. As Bill McBride, Housing Analyst for Calculated Risk, explains: “ . . . currently inventory is increasing year-over-year but is still well below pre-pandemic levels.”But that’s okay. It’s to be expected. As a country, it’ll take a while to get back to the typical level of homes for sale. And the good news for buyers is, in some select markets, it’s closer to being a reality.Here’s a rundown of what today’s inventory growth looks like by region (see graph below):Real estate will always be hyper-local. If you want to find out what inventory numbers look like where you live, reach out to a local agent. They’ll be able to tell you what they’re seeing and how it stacks up to the national market. You may find you have even more opportunity to move where you are.Bottom LineThe supply of homes across the country is improving in a big way. As a buyer, that gives you more options for your home search, and ultimately, a better chance of finding what you like.So, what are you looking for in a home? And what’s your budget? Reach out to a local agent to go over that together to find the options that may be right for you.

Some HighlightsIf you’re thinking about selling your house, it’s important to know what the home inspection is and what inspectors look for.As supply grows and buyers regain negotiation power, you may find you want to do some select repairs with a good return on investment before listing to get ahead of things a buyer may ask you to fix.To decide what's worth tackling, you need expert advice. Reach out to a local real estate agent so you know what to prioritize.