“There are more sellers than there are buyers,” Jenna Stauffer says, but when rates dropped, buyers took advantage of the opportunity. She breaks down housing market dynamics for 2025, noting the “deceleration of price growth” and stubbornly high mortgage rates. However, Jenna argues rates are only one factor, with the “lethal combination” of rising taxes, maintenance costs, insurance, and high home prices crushing affordability. Confidence is the lifeblood of the housing market, she adds, and discusses what could happen if a government shutdown shakes that.