The Housing Search is Easing, but a Prolonged Trade War Could Derail Progress

Housing’s yearslong winter might be showing the first hints of thaw, according to new data from the NBC News Home Buyer Index. Buyer difficulty is easing, owing to improving supply and less competition. Prices remain high, however, and experts say any improvement could ride on policy decisions — tariffs and trade wars chief among them. Still, several factors point to easing difficulty: Inventory is improving, with more homes coming onto the market and higher than expected starts, and mortgage rates are declining slightly, especially those benefiting first-time buyers using Federal Housing Administration loans. Homes are also spending more time on the market — 40 days or more on average — a sharp contrast to 2021’s hottest stretch, when homes flew from the market in under half that time. This story originally appeared on nbcmiami.com.