Halloween falls on October 31 because the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, considered the earliest known root of Halloween, occurred on this day.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to praise all saints.
Soon, All Saints' Day incorporated some traditions of Samhain and the evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.
Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
Today’s the day to eat candies and sweets to your heart’s content! Happy Halloween!

Nationwide, newly built homes now sell for a median $205 per sq-ft, below $212 for existing homes, making new construction the typical value play.
That pricing shift showed up in one-third of major US markets, reversing years when new homes usually carried a higher price per sq-ft.
Builders have been more willing to cut prices and offer incentives, especially where construction expanded and available inventory created stronger competition recently.
For buyers, that means new homes may be worth a closer look, particularly in well-supplied areas where negotiating room has improved meaningfully.
The broader takeaway is simple: adding more homes remains the clearest affordability path, though slower permitting could threaten some of that progress.

Higher borrowing costs are raising the cost of delaying a purchase, as buyers who wait face potentially larger monthly payments if financing conditions remain elevated.
Home prices are not falling fast enough to offset financing costs, meaning waiting for a cheaper home does not automatically guarantee a lower overall purchase cost.
Buyers still have negotiating opportunities in some markets, particularly where inventory has improved and sellers are competing for fewer offers.
Takeaway: Waiting can make sense for some buyers, but the decision now depends on the full cost of financing, price and negotiating leverage—not rates alone.

The national outlook centered on three affordability drivers: lower mortgage rates, continued income growth, and slower home-price growth working together over time.
Meaningful, sustained payment relief was tied not to one factor alone, but to a combination of financing costs, earnings gains, and moderating price growth.
The affordability index used a payment-to-income lens, so lower loan amounts, lower rates, or higher earnings each supported better borrower conditions nationally.
By the same measure, worsening affordability happened when payment burdens rose against income, whether from larger loan requests, higher rates, or weaker earnings.
For buyers watching national conditions, the clearest signals ahead were mortgage rates, income trends, and whether home-price growth kept cooling in the US.

The United States currently has ~44% more sellers than buyers, giving qualified purchasers more room to negotiate prices, concessions, and contract terms.
Elevated financing costs remain a hurdle, but larger inventory gives prepared buyers more choices and stronger leverage than during recent seller-dominated years.
New construction shows added flexibility: ~36% of builders priced ↓~6%, creating openings to request closing help, repairs, or rate buydowns, where available.
Buyer strategy matters now: compare lenders, strengthen credit, and search markets with greater home availability before choosing property size or location trade-offs.
A trade economist projected possible mortgage-rate relief later in 2026, while buyers with stable jobs and organized finances can act strategically now.

Nationwide median listing price ↓~2% yearly to $429.5K in Mid-Q2, giving buyers a clearer opening after years of tight conditions and competition.
Asking prices showed broader softness: price per sq-ft ↓~3%, marking a notable shift from the pandemic-era frenzy toward more grounded seller expectations.
Active listings in Mid-Q2 were ↑~6% MoM and ↑~2% yearly, expanding options for buyers comparing homes carefully before making offers in 2026.
Even with >17% of active listings taking reductions, the lower yearly share suggests sellers are pricing more realistically upfront before listing.
Affordability remains challenging, but lower asking prices plus expanding inventory point to a less competitive market and more negotiating power for buyers.

Mortgage rates are higher than earlier in 2026, yet remain below 2025 levels, supporting more buyers today as qualification paths improve overall.
Lower rates are expected to allow more potential buyers to qualify for mortgages and move forward with financing plans as conditions improve.
The condominium market is showing stabilization, with improved affordability drawing buyers back and condos outperforming single-family price gains in some metros recently.
Price gains can boost housing wealth for many homeowners, while relatively affordable Midwest markets remain important areas for buyers in today's planning conversations.
Potential buyers may find more workable mortgage paths as lower rates improve qualification odds, especially where affordability is drawing buyer interest again.

A state plan raised the target for homes on state-owned land from 20K to 40K, pairing higher production goals with faster approvals.
State officials said New Jersey needs 350K more homes to keep pace with growth, improve affordability, and stay competitive in attracting residents and investment.
The plan added a permitting shot clock, launched a tax credit auction for affordable housing, and emphasized clearer timelines for builders and communities.
Officials highlighted work underway: transit-focused projects, a dashboard tracking six projects with >3.7K potential homes, more town assistance, and full funding for homeless veterans.
Next steps focused on homes near transit, jobs, and schools, with redevelopment of underused state property, vacant offices, and strip malls while preserving affordable homes.