US real estate US Real Estate in Summer 2026: Where the Market Has Actually Shifted and Where It Hasn't Inventory is up 22% nationally, Sun Belt markets are giving buyers their first real leverage since 2019, and builders are buying down rates to 5.49%. Here's where the genuine opportunities are and where the narrative is running ahead of the data.
US real estate US Mortgage Rates May 2026: The 6.95% Headline and the Buydown Strategy That Actually Saves Buyers The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.95% in mid-May 2026 — three months after the Fed's last cut, and almost identical to where it sat in January. The headline rate is not the rate any savvy buyer is actually paying. Here's why the seller-funded buydown is reshaping the spring market.
