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Down Payment Assistance

HUD launches probe into Washington state down payment assistance program

Down Payment Assistance, Fair Lending, HUD, HWmember, Mortgage, Regulatory, Regulatory Compliance, Washington /

Washington state’s Covenant Homeownership Program is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) over potential violations of the Fair Housing Act. HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) notified the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, which administers the program, of the probe on Tuesday. The investigation comes days […]

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How real estate agents are helping young homebuyers overcome fears, finances

Affordability, Agent, Brokerage, Detroit, Down Payment Assistance, eXp Realty, First-Time Homebuyers, Home Prices, HWmember, Michigan, Real Estate /

The age at which Americans buy their first home can dramatically shape their financial future — and a delay in first-time homeownership is forcing real estate agents to rethink how they market to younger buyers. A new Generational Wealth Report from Realtor.com finds that households purchasing their first home by age 30 build significantly more

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Down payment assistance programs top 2,600 in Q4 2025

Affordability, Down Payment Assistance, First-Time Homebuyers, Housing Market, HWmember, Manufactured Housing, Mortgage /

Down Payment Resource (DPR) on Monday released its Q4 2025 Homeownership Program Index (HPI) report, identifying 2,619 down payment assistance (DPA) programs available nationwide. The count is five fewer compared to the third quarter but represents a 6% increase from Q4 2024, when 2,466 programs were available. The year-over-year growth reflects continued expansion and refinement

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Tapping a 401(k) for homeownership is risky business, experts say

Donald Trump, Down Payment Assistance, Home Prices, Homeownership, HWmember, Retirement, Reverse /

President Donald Trump has floated proposals to make it easier for Americans to pull from their 401(k) retirement accounts to buy a home — framing the idea as a way to boost homeownership and financial stability. But financial experts say the strategy could undermine long-term financial security, particularly as housing costs rise and retirement savings

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Trump’s 401(k) proposal could help homebuyers, hurt retirement funds

Affordability, Donald Trump, Down Payment Assistance, Homeownership, HWmember, LendingLife, Mortgage, Politics, Retirement, Trump administration /

President Donald Trump’s expected proposal to allow Americans to tap their 401(k) retirement accounts without penalties to fund down payments could ease one of the biggest barriers to homeownership, but it could come at the cost of weakening long-term retirement security. The idea was absent from Trump’s speech on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum

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How long does it take to save for a down payment in 2025?

Down Payment Assistance, Housing Market, Housing Market Data, HWmember, Realtor.com, VA Loan /

Even though down payments remain an obstacle to prospective homebuyers across the country, affordability conditions have improved significantly in the past three years. That’s the key takeaway from a Realtor.com report released Monday. The company found that across the 50 largest U.S. metro areas, the typical household in 2025 needs seven years to save for

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Why is homeownership harder to sustain in 2025?

Agent, Contributors, Down Payment Assistance, Homeowners insurance, Homeownership, HWmember, Opinion, Real Estate /

For generations, the American Dream has been defined by homeownership. But in 2025, that dream is harder to hold onto. Rising mortgage rates, high home prices and the day-to-day cost of living have left many families stretched thin. Even as interest rates show signs of easing, affordability pressures remain, forcing buyers to ask not only,

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Down payments stay steady even as homebuyers face high prices

Affordability, Down Payment Assistance, Home Prices, Homebuyers, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage Rates, Realtor.com /

Down payments stayed largely unchanged in the third quarter of 2025 as homebuyers balanced high prices with slowing demand, according to Realtor.com’s newest Down Payment Report. The typical down payment was $30,400 — about $500 more than the previous quarter and roughly flat from a year earlier. Buyers continued to put down about 14.4% of

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From rates to reality: why innovative homeownership alternatives matter now

Affordability, Contributors, Down Payment Assistance, Home Prices, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage Rates, Opinion, Real Estate /

For generations, the American Dream was synonymous with homeownership — a white picket fence, a backyard and the pride of owning a place to call your own. But today, that dream is undergoing a quiet transformation. With the national median home price now exceeding $426,000, according to NAR, the goal for many Americans has shifted

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Help exists for cash-strapped homebuyers — but many don’t know it

Affordability, Appraisal Institute, Covid-19, Down Payment Assistance, First-Time Homebuyers, Home Prices, Homebuying, Housing Market, HWmember, Inflation, Mortgage Rates, National Association of Realtors /

As home prices and mortgage rates continue to stretch budgets, many would-be homebuyers are wondering if they’ll ever be able to make the jump. Industry professionals say that creative financing tools and professional guidance can make homeownership more attainable, but a lack of awareness continues to stand in the way. Three voices from different corners

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