Month: September 2026

Suburban houses in a neighborhood with a mortgage delinquency warning theme

Mortgage Delinquencies Rose Fastest in Newton County, Georgia, and Nine Other Places as County Data Show Stress Signals That Could Affect Local Home Values

 Joshua Adkins  September 21, 2026

County mortgage stress jumped sharply in several places, but experts say delinquency alone does not predict home prices.

New suburban homes in the Inland Empire as homebuyers struggle to find standard insurance coverage

California Home Insurance Desert Spreads Into Inland Empire Suburbs as Fair Plan Enrollments Surge and Low Risk Buyers Face Costly Coverage Gaps

 Joshua Adkins  September 21, 2026

Families buying new houses in the Inland Empire are finding fewer standard policies, heavier deductibles and more dependence on the state FAIR Plan or surplus lines insurers.

A homeowner examining an older roof while reviewing a home insurance quote

Older Roofs Can Complicate Home Insurance Quotes for Buyers, as Insurers May Inspect After Binding Coverage and Require Repairs Before Keeping the Policy Active

 Joshua Adkins  September 21, 2026

A Reddit discussion highlights how an aging roof can turn an online home insurance quote into a follow-up inspection, repair demand, or policy change.

A home for sale sign with mortgage rate numbers shown in a financial context

Mortgage Rates Push Back Above 7 Percent as Zillow Data Shows 30 Year Loans, Arms, and Refinance Costs Climbing Again Nationally

 Joshua Adkins  September 21, 2026

Zillow’s latest lender marketplace data shows higher borrowing costs across most major mortgage terms, with forecasts still pointing to lower rates later in 2026.

A family minivan parked in a lot with a rental car key fob in the foreground

Costco Travel Helps a Mom Cut a Seven Seat Rental Car Quote From Enterprise by More Than Four Hundred Dollars for a Family Road Trip

 Joshua Adkins  September 21, 2026

A Costco membership can unlock lower rental car rates, and one traveler says the savings were big enough to make the comparison worthwhile.

A man sits inside a homeless shelter as vacant affordable apartments remain out of reach

Across Austin, Denver and Portland, Low-Income Apartments Are Sitting Vacant While the Country’s Poorest Renters Face a Severe Shortage of Housing They Can Actually Afford

 Joshua Adkins  September 21, 2026

Affordable units aimed at moderate-income renters are filling up more easily than homes for extremely low-income households, leaving many of the poorest Americans stuck in shelters or waiting lists.

For sale sign outside a home as rising mortgage rates make buying less affordable

Mortgage Rates Near 7 Percent Push Home Buyers to Wait as 30 Year Loans Hit a 14 Month High and Fed Policy Keeps the Market on Edge

 Joshua Adkins  September 20, 2026

Freddie Mac says borrowing costs are rising again, squeezing affordability and adding pressure to an already strained housing market.

A house model beside a calculator and mortgage rate chart

Mortgage Rates Hover Above 7% as Housingwire Says War, Oil Prices and a New Fed Hike Cycle Could Push U.S. Borrowing Costs Toward 8% or Back to 6%

 Joshua Adkins  September 20, 2026

HousingWire’s latest housing tracker says conflict-driven oil moves, wider spreads and Fed guidance may decide whether rates keep climbing or cool off.

Salt Lake City house with a buyer weighing monthly mortgage costs and repair expenses

Salt Lake City Homebuyer’s $455,000 Purchase Draws Questions as Monthly Housing Costs, Radon Repairs and Thin Savings Test the Budget

 Joshua Adkins  September 20, 2026

A Utah first-time buyer asked whether a house payment would leave enough room for everyday expenses, and commenters warned that ownership costs often run well beyond the mortgage.

Kitchen sponge near a sink with cleaning supplies in a New York apartment

New Research on Household Germs Finds Kitchen Sponges, Indoor Air and Dust Can Make New York Homes Dirtier Than Residents Expect

 Joshua Adkins  September 20, 2026

Studies cited by a Queens cleaning company point to sponges, dust and indoor air as the biggest hidden health issues in apartments and houses.