When was the last time you checked your home’s value and felt your jaw drop—followed quickly by the thought, how long can this last?

The truth is, summer sales have cooled, and a few cracks are showing:

• New home prices fell nearly 5% in June, and inventory is up more than 30% from last year—on track to reach pre-pandemic levels.
• Foreclosures ticked up, with over 140,000 filings in the first half of 2025.
• And nearly 15% of home purchase agreements fell through in June, the highest rate since tracking began in 2017.

Are we staring down another 2008-style crash?

Probably not.

• Home values, while slowing, are still at record highs.
• Supply remains historically tight, a built-in cushion against freefall.
• If mortgage rates slide to 6%, more buyers may qualify—and limited inventory will keep prices competitive.
• Unlike 2008, most homeowners today are sitting on solid equity—many without a mortgage at all. By contrast, nearly a quarter of homeowners in the fall of 2009 owed more on homes than their properties were worth.

I believe the recent housing news is less about uncertainty and more about shifts. For now,  this is something to observe – and not something to fear.

In the meantime, if you are thinking about buying, the best time to buy is when you find the home you love and can afford.  And the best time to sell is when it fits your needs and your financial plan.

Plan well,
Barbara
 
 
August 24, 2025

Source:  https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/real-estate/housing-market-predictions/

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