
It's Economy 101 – when supply is low and demand is high, prices naturally rise. That's what's happening in today's housing market. Home prices are appreciating at near-historic rates, and that's creating some challenges when it comes to home appraisals.
In recent months, it's become increasingly common for an appraisal to come in below the contract price on the house. Shawn Telford, Chief Appraiser for CoreLogic, explains it like this:
"Recently, we observed buyers paying prices above listing price and higher than the market data available to appraisers can support. This difference is known as 'the appraisal gap . . . .'"
Basically, with the heightened buyer demand, purchasers...

The question of whether the real estate market is a bubble ready to pop seems to be dominating a lot of conversations – and everyone has an opinion. Yet, when it comes down to it, the opinions that carry the most weight are the ones based on experience and expertise.
Here are four expert opinions from professionals and organizations that have devoted their careers to giving great advice to the housing industry.
The Joint Center for Housing Studies in their The State of the Nation's Housing 2021 report:
"… conditions today are quite different than in the early 2000s, particularly in terms of credit availability. The current climb in house prices instead reflects strong demand amid tight supply, h...

Right now, the housing market is full of outstanding opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Whether you're thinking of buying your first home, moving up to a bigger one, or selling so, you can downsize this spring, and there are perks today that are powering big moves for people across the country. Here are the top two to keep on the radar this season.
Today's most compelling buyer incentive is low mortgage interest rates. The 30-year fixed rate is now averaging just over 3%. While that's slightly higher than the record-lows from 2020 and earlier this year, it's still way lower than historical norms, making purchasing a home an ongoing perk for hopeful buyers...