Home Purchase Loans Plunge to 12-Year Low as High Mortgage Rates Crush Affordability

U.S. home purchase lending plunged to its lowest level in 12 years at the start of 2026, dragged down by elevated home prices and mortgage rates stuck above 6% that sidelined many prospective buyers. Roughly 581,000 home purchase loans were originated from January through March 2026, down 19% from t

By 2064, the Global Population Could Be Halved in a Worst-Case Scenario—but Housing Affordability Poses a Far More Immediate Risk

The global population could be cut in half in just 40 years, under a worst-case scenario modeled in a new study. However chilling the headline findings are, the authors of the report, published in "Chaos, Solitons & Fractals," are careful to explain that current trends are stable. “We emphasize that

New York City Lost 150,000 Kids in 4 Years as Parents Fled to the Suburbs and Beyond

New York City parents are fleeing the big city—and taking their kids with them. The Big Apple lost an astonishing 150,000 children (and their parents) in the four years after 2020, a nearly 9% drop, according to a new analysis. To put that into perspective, the city's child-aged population decline d

Yours, Mine, and the Mortgage: How Separate Accounts Affect Your Home Loan

In the past, combining finances was the norm, but today’s couples are switching things up. According to Fidelity’s 2026 Couples and Money survey, 42% of couples surveyed merge their finances into joint accounts, while roughly 20% keep their money totally separate.  Younger generations are responsibl