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AffordSimple Market Insights

Mortgage & Home Buying Insights

Understand the market — and what it means for your home-buying budget.

Rates, home prices, inflation, taxes and housing policy explained in simple terms.

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Illustration of a home beside a mortgage rate chart

Mortgage Rates

When Mortgage Rates Move, What Does It Mean for Home Buyers?

Even a modest rate change can affect monthly payments and buying power. Here is a practical way to think about the impact.

6 min read
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Mortgage Rates

Mortgage Rates Fell to 7.24%: What Could That Save a Buyer?

The 30-year average eased to 7.24%. Here is what that change could mean for payments—and why the headline is only part of the story.

7 min read
Central bank building and a home connected by a changing mortgage-rate line

Housing Policy

The Fed Held Rates Steady. Why Your Mortgage Quote Can Still Move

The Fed held its target range at 3.75% to 4.00%, but mortgage rates still respond to a much wider market.

7 min read
Homes on rising platforms with an upward price trend

Home Prices

Home Prices Are Still Rising—but Buying Power Is More Complicated

National home prices remain higher than a year ago, but the effect on your budget depends on rates, cash, taxes, and the local market.

7 min read
New home with a balance comparing a rate buydown, credit, and price cut

First-Time Buyers

Builder Incentives Look Attractive. Here’s How to Compare the Real Value

A rate buydown, closing-cost credit, and price cut can look similar in an ad but deliver very different long-term value.

7 min read
House, household goods, and an inflation gauge beside a rate chart

Economy

Inflation Rose 3.7%: Why Mortgage Rates May Stay Unpredictable

September inflation accelerated. Learn how bond markets may translate that news into mortgage-rate volatility.

7 min read
Several available homes connected by paths with a key in front

Home Prices

More Homes Are for Sale. Does That Mean Buyers Have Leverage?

Existing-home inventory rose 4.6% from a year earlier. That may create room to negotiate—but not in every neighborhood.

6 min read
House, property-tax paperwork, calendar, and increasing monthly costs

Taxes & Insurance

The Property Tax Cost Home Buyers Often Miss

Two similarly priced homes can produce very different payments once reassessments, exemptions, and local tax rates are included.

6 min read
Home protected by an insurance shield beside a calendar and rising costs

Taxes & Insurance

Your Mortgage Payment Can Rise Even With a Fixed Rate—Here’s Why

Principal and interest may stay fixed while insurance and escrow change. Here is how to avoid a payment surprise.

6 min read
Employment charts, a briefcase, and a house beside a changing rate line

Economy

The Jobs Report Was Quiet. Mortgage Rates May Not Be.

September payroll growth was modest, but mortgage markets can still react sharply to the details and expectations around jobs data.

6 min read
Starter home, buyer checklist, key, and loan-limit scale

First-Time Buyers

FHA Loan Limits Increased for 2026: A First-Time Buyer Checklist

The 2026 FHA limits are higher, but the maximum insured loan is not the same as a comfortable buying budget.

7 min read