Today’s mortgage rates and home prices may have you second-guessing whether it's still a good idea to buy a home right now. While market factors are definitely important, there’s also a bigger picture to consider: the long-term benefits of homeownership. 

Think of it this way. If you know people who bought a home 5, 10, or even 30 years ago, you’re probably going to have a hard time finding someone who regrets their decision. That’s because over time, home values usually grow – and that means a homeowner’s net worth does too. Here's a look at how that can really add up over the years.

Home Price Growth over Time

The map below uses data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to show how much prices have grown over the last five years. Since home prices vary by area, the map is broken out regionally to really showcase larger market trends:


You can see that nationally, home prices increased by; ...

The Number of Homes for Sale Is Increasing

There’s no denying the last couple of years have been tough for anyone trying to buy a home because there haven’t been enough houses to go around. But things are starting to look up.
There are more homes up for grabs this year. The graph below uses the latest data from Realtor.com to show in April 2024 there were more homes for sale than there were over the last few years (2021-2023):

 
As Realtor.com explains:
“There were 30.4% more homes actively for sale on a typical day in April compared with the same time in 2023, marking the sixth consecutive month of annual inventory growth.”
But does this growing inventory make house hunting easier? Yes and no.
Using the latest weekly data from Calculated Risk, the graph below shows, that even with the growth lately, there are still way fewer homes for sale than there were in the last normal year in the housi. ...

Home Prices Are Climbing in These Top Cities

Thinking about buying a home or selling your current one to find a better fit? If so, you might be wondering what's going on with home prices these days. Here's the scoop.
The latest national data from Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shows they’re going up (see graphs below):


As you can see, home prices were rising for most of 2023. But over the course of December and January, they were virtually flat – which is pretty normal for that time of year.
But here's what you need to know now. As of February, when the spring market kicked off, prices were on the rise again.
Home Prices Are Going Up in Most of America's Top Cities
After seeing a jump in home prices nationally in February, you might be wondering if they’re going up in your area, too. While it depends on where you live, prices are rising in 18 of the top 20 cities C. ...