How Affordable is Housing in Your Congressional District?
In looking at housing affordability across the nation’s congressional districts, we found home values and rents tend to be higher along the coasts and in denser, urban communities, regardless which party represents a given community in Congress.
What Distinguishes the Markets Renters Want to Move to From the Markets Renters Want to Leave
The (real or imagined) allure of greener pastures beyond the horizon is a near-constant theme in the American national imagination, and regional migration – the movement of people across the country – is among the most important drivers of local differences in housing demand and desirability. And in the simplest sense, areas with lots of people looking to leave can often be considered less desirable, while markets with lots of people eager to move in are likely more desirable. But not always.
The Days of Our Lives: How Long Does it Take for Low and High-Income Renters to Find a Home?
On average, renters spend 10.4 weeks on the market searching for a rental home or apartment according to Zillow Group’s 2016 Consumer Housing Trends Report. But renters in tighter rental markets can spend significantly longer searching for a home – and lower-income renters often spend longer still, even in more balanced markets.
Q3 2016 Market Report: High Demand Continues to Put Pressure on Home Values
Now three-fourths of the way through 2016, the trends we’ve seen shaping the market throughout much of the year – namely, high demand for homes to buy and low supply of homes for sale, which have conspired to push up prices – look firmly entrenched.
Annual growth in median rents nationwide has slowed considerably from last summer’s breakneck pace, offering some relief to renters struggling to pay less money to their landlords and put more money into savings for a home purchase. But just because rental growth is slowing down, doesn’t mean it’s not still growing – and incredibly quickly – in some of the nation’s hottest markets, according to the Zillow Rent Forecast, contributing to continued affordability concerns.
August 2016 Market Report: Steady as it Goes
From 10,000 feet, the U.S. housing market has been nothing if not predictable in 2016 – inventory has been down, home values have grown at a remarkably steady pace and sellers have largely been sitting pretty. None of these trends shifted meaningfully in August, though there are a precious few signs emerging that hint at potential changes on the horizon.
July 2016 Market Report: Four Years of Recovery, Still 4+ Percent Left to Go
The median U.S. home value has risen on an annual basis in each month for the past four years – and still remains more than 4 percent below its pre-recession high.
Q2 2016 Market Report: Tight Inventory Leads to a Need for Speed
It’s well known that a lack of homes for sale is limiting home buyers’ choices this home shopping season. But this inventory shortage is also contributing to another home buying hurdle – along with limited options, buyers also have increasingly limited time to make a decision on a home purchase.
A Crack in the Code: Why Even Some Tech-Employed Renters Can’t Find Affordable Housing
Just because the average tech renter is doing OK, we shouldn’t think everyone in the field is having an easy time making ends meet.
