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This City Is Now the Hottest Housing Market in the U.S
Mapped: The Income Needed to Join the Top 1% in Every State and a house that's a wild ride
Vidit Saxena
January 23, 2026
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Latest Rates
Loan Type | Current Rate | Day Change | 1 Week | 1 Month | 1 Year | 52-Week Range |
30 Yr. Fixed | 6.19% | -0.01% | +0.15% | -0.05% | -0.89% | 6.01% - 7.13% |
15 Yr. Fixed | 5.76% | +0.00% | +0.19% | +0.02% | -0.74% | 5.55% - 6.52% |
30 Yr. FHA | 5.86% | -0.02% | +0.16% | -0.01% | -0.62% | 5.69% - 6.54% |
30 Yr. Jumbo | 6.38% | +0.00% | +0.04% | -0.02% | -0.97% | 6.10% - 7.45% |
7/6 SOFR ARM | 5.71% | +0.00% | +0.09% | -0.09% | -1.24% | 5.59% - 7.25% |
30 Yr. VA | 5.88% | -0.01% | +0.16% | -0.01% | -0.61% | 5.70% - 6.55% |
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Macro Trends
This is a really great chart by Mark Zandi.
60% of spending is being done by 20% of households.
Some of the other 80% of households, however, are getting help from their parents, who are in the top 20% of earners and net worth. What does this mean for home sales in 2026? I believe it means that the health of the housing market is very tied to the stock market, where much of the wealth is concentrated. One of the consumer surveys last year found that 40% of first-time buyers received financial help. Four other surveys indicated that 25% - 33% were getting financial help.
The bottom line is that quite a few first-time buyers have no prayer of qualifying on their own - but are becoming homeowners nonetheless.
Real Estate Trends
This City Is Now the Hottest Housing Market in the U.S. Link
Kenosha, WI, took the top spot in December 2025 with homes selling in 44 days, nearly a month faster than the national average.
The area attracted three times the national average of online listing views due to a $384,000 median price point.
My take: "Affordability" is now a relative term that is driving migrations. This isn't a Wisconsin boom; I think it's a spillover effect from Chicago residents fleeing high taxes and prices for a shorter commute.
Are Big Investors Really Buying Up All the Homes? Here’s the Truth. Link
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While the national average for big investor purchases is just 1.2%, these buyers concentrate heavily in specific regional markets.
Institutional landlords currently own approximately 1% of the total single-family housing stock in the United States.
My take: National data is a lie when it comes to your specific neighborhood. You aren't competing against a national average; you're competing against concentrated capital in high-growth hubs that makes entry-level ownership impossible.
More Americans are living alone than ever before Link
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One-person households in the US reached an all-time high of 29% in 2025, totaling nearly 40 million people.
The surge is fueled by plummeting marriage rates and a booming 65-plus demographic that is statistically most likely to live solo.
How Wellness Is Reshaping the Modern Office link
Workplace strategy is shifting toward comprehensive health outcomes to drive performance for employees returning to physical offices.
Landlords and employers are partnering with local healthcare providers to embed medical services directly into the mixed-use office environment.
My take: This isn't about employee health; it's a desperate bribe to justify the commute. Companies are building high-end "containment zones" to lure workers back into expensive leases they can't afford to break.
Pro Member Only Content Below
Most of the insights below stem from extra research and include content from paid sources and special reports.
Top 10 Cities for an Active Lifestyle and Idyllic Island Paradise Takes No. 1 Spot
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The Most Competitive Place to Buy a Home in America
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Where Could Trump’s Institutional Investor Ban Help the Most?
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Off Topic
Mapped: The Income Needed to Join the Top 1% in Every State
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Unreal Real Estate
This house is a wild ride
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Cheers,
Vidit
P.S - Read past newsletters here
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