Spring Awakening: Is Now the Perfect Time to Buy or Sell a Home?
You’ve probably heard the headlines: mortgage rates are still high, and the market is tough. But here’s what most of those headlines miss: subtle signs of life in the housing market. Mortgage purchase applications are up year over year, and even though rates are still above 6.5%, demand is starting to stir. It’s not a boom. It’s not a frenzy. But it is something to take note of. What Are Mortgage Purchase Applications? Mortgage purchase applications are exactly what they sound like: buyers applying for loans to purchase homes. It’s a leading indicator that looks 30 to 90 days ahead of actual home sales, which makes it one of the best ways to spot a market shift before it shows up in the headlines. In the first 10 weeks of 2025, we've seen: 4 positive weeks 3 flat weeks 3 negative weeks That might not sound groundbreaking, but most of the weekly data this year is positive, and we’re seeing year-over-year growth for the first time in a long while. And applications go up, it's ...
