For several years, home sellers have held the advantage in the U.S. housing market. Tight inventory drove prices higher and fueled bidding wars, leaving buyers with few options. Now, however, new conditions are giving buyers more leverage than they've had in quite some time.

According to Zillow data, housing inventory is up 17% year-over-year, the highest level since 2019. More homes on the market mean sellers face increased competition, while buyers have greater choice. Prices remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels, but appreciation has largely stalled, and mortgage rates are slightly lower than they were a year ago.

"We're starting to see sellers make concessions," said Kara Ng, senior economist at Zillow. "There's more competition because listings are lingering. Sellers need to work harder now."

Homes that do sell still move relatively quickly, typically in about 17 days, but that's four days longer than last year — a sign that the red-hot pace of recent years is cooling. At the same time, many homeowners who once hesitated to sell because of their ultra-low pandemic-era mortgage rates are realizing those rates aren't coming back. Job changes, family needs, and other life events are forcing more sellers to enter the market.

For buyers, this means a chance to negotiate. Price reductions are becoming more common, especially in markets like Florida and Texas, where inventory is especially high. Buyers can sometimes secure help with closing costs, mortgage rate buydowns, or additional price cuts.

Despite these shifts, affordability remains a major obstacle. Zillow's research shows the typical buyer now needs to earn nearly $100,000 a year to comfortably afford the median-priced U.S. home at $369,000. Five years ago, median earners could afford homes in 39 major metro areas. Today, that number has dropped to just 11.

Markets like Cleveland and Pittsburgh remain relatively affordable, while places such as San Jose and San Francisco are far out of reach for many households.

Sellers aren't entirely losing ground. Many purchased their homes before or during the early days of the pandemic and locked in historically low rates, giving them strong equity positions. Rather than continue cutting prices, some are choosing to pull their homes off the market and wait for conditions to improve. Others are opting to rent out their homes instead of selling.

"Sellers are in a pretty good place financially," Ng explained. "Unless there's a life event driving the decision, some are saying, 'maybe this isn't the year.'"

For sellers who remain, the key is presentation. With inventory rising, buyers are looking closely at listings. Experts recommend high-quality photography, staging, and even 3D or video tours to help homes stand out.

The bottom line: the U.S. housing market is no longer the runaway seller's market it once was. Instead, it's moving toward something closer to balance — with buyers finally seeing opportunities they haven't had in years.

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Tucked beneath sprawling live oaks in Algiers, Saint Claire feels like a hidden retreat just minutes from downtown New Orleans. The new restaurant and bar, opened in late June, is already drawing attention from locals and food lovers who describe it as part oasis, part culinary adventure.

The project is the work of longtime friends Melissa Martin — best known as the chef-owner of Mosquito Supper Club — and Cassi Dymond, who spent years dreaming of creating a place that blended good food with a sense of romance.

"When we walked this property, we knew right away it was the one," Martin said. After six months of renovations, the pair transformed a historic building at the end of a Patterson Drive cul-de-sac into their dream restaurant, filling it with secondhand treasures and handmade pieces from local artisans.

A Space That Invites Escape

The design is intentionally warm and nostalgic. Guests can glimpse the kitchen as they move through the dining room — a deliberate choice inspired by the rustic kitchens of period dramas like Downton Abbey. "I wanted it to feel cozy, not like a sterile stainless-steel box," Martin explained.

On the four-acre property, future plans include hosting picnics, weddings, and even adding a small working farm with chickens, sheep, and a vegetable garden. For now, though, the focus is firmly on food and drink.

What's on the Table

The opening menu was built around the kind of dishes Martin and her team love to eat. Signature items include duck confit and rabbit rillettes, paired with seasonal sides that highlight local produce. There are also crossovers from Mosquito Supper Club's menu, including richly flavored small plates and inventive bar bites.

The kitchen's attention to detail shines in every dish — whether it's pillowy gnocchi topped with lump crabmeat or smoked beets brightened by trout roe and crème fraîche. At each table, taper candles set the stage for leisurely meals and classic cocktails.

A Site with a Complex Past

Saint Claire's story stretches back long before its current life as a restaurant. Originally part of the U.S. Quarantine Station built in 1931, the property once housed incoming ships and crews screened for disease. During the 1940s, it was repurposed as an internment camp, holding detainees from across Europe and Latin America during World War II. For a time, it became known as the "Camp of the Innocents" because it housed Jewish refugees and others opposed to the Nazi regime.

Later, the site served as a school, then as offices for the U.S. Border Patrol. Vacant for years, it was eventually sold into private ownership. The restaurant takes its name from Saint Claire Gardens, a development tied to the property's early 20th-century history when the Ursuline Nuns sold portions of the land.

A New Chapter

Today, Saint Claire is rewriting that history with food, community, and hospitality. With its rustic elegance and deep ties to New Orleans' past, the restaurant feels both timeless and new — a place where guests can savor a meal, linger over drinks, and briefly step outside the pace of the city.

Saint Claire is located at 1300 Richland Road in Algiers. Hours are Thursday 4–9 p.m., Friday 4–9:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–9:30 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday). For reservations, call (504) 766-9316.

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Home design in 2025 is pulling in two very different directions: on one end, serene, Zen-inspired spaces with muted palettes, and on the other, bold interiors filled with rich, moody tones. According to a new trend report from Houzz, homeowners are embracing both extremes — and everything in between — as they remodel and refresh their spaces this summer.

Organic Modern Takes the Spotlight

One of the fastest-rising styles is organic modern, which blends clean, minimalist lines with natural textures and forms. Think crisp white walls paired with warm woods, stone accents, or woven details. Houzz reports searches for "organic modern bedrooms" have more than tripled year over year, with kitchens, dining rooms, and bathrooms also seeing surges in popularity.

Dark and Moody Interiors Make a Comeback

At the same time, homeowners are leaning into dark and dramatic palettes. Searches for "moody living rooms" and "moody kitchens" have doubled, while "dark ceiling" styles are up 60 percent compared to last year. Designers are layering deep reds, browns, and charcoal tones to create cozy, intimate, or dramatic effects — a sharp turn away from the all-white interiors that dominated much of the past decade.

Reading Rooms and Dark Academia

The "dark academia" aesthetic, rooted in literature and learning, is now shaping interior spaces. Searches for "book nooks," "library walls," and the British-inspired "snug" have all spiked as homeowners carve out quiet areas for reading and reflection. Houzz says searches for dark academia home styles tripled in early 2025, reflecting a growing demand for scholarly, cozy retreats within the home.

Japandi and the Zen Influence

Another major trend is Japandi, a blend of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian practicality. Known for simplicity, natural elements, and harmony, Japandi-inspired spaces are gaining traction in kitchens, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Related design concepts like wabi-sabi (finding beauty in imperfection) and Zen gardens are also seeing a rise in interest, highlighting the ongoing shift toward balance and tranquility in the home.

Wellness at Home

Wellness-focused design remains front and center. Searches for cold plunges, indoor saunas, home spas, backyard saunas, and skylights are climbing, reflecting homeowners' desire to make their houses feel more restorative. Bringing in more natural light and creating spa-like experiences at home are top priorities in many remodels.

Leisure and Entertainment Spaces

Dedicated hobby and leisure areas are trending as well. Houzz reports searches for listening rooms have more than doubled, and "living room pianos" are surging as families carve out spaces for music. Recreational features like bocce courts, bowling alleys, and game rooms are also on the rise, showing that homeowners want fun built into their homes — both indoors and out.

Kid-Centered Zones

Families are also designing with children in mind. Searches are up for race car beds, Jack-and-Jill bathrooms, teen lounges, and kids' gaming bedrooms, reflecting a growing interest in creating playful, functional zones tailored to young family members.

A Home for Every Lifestyle

Taken together, these emerging design trends paint a picture of homeowners seeking balance — between calm and energy, minimalism and boldness, function and fun. Whether it's through a spa-like bathroom, a moody reading nook, or a backyard bocce court, today's home design is less about following one rulebook and more about reflecting personal lifestyle and priorities.

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Stability in an Unpredictable Market

For most homebuyers, a fixed-rate mortgage remains the most popular financing choice — and for good reason. With this type of loan, your interest rate is locked in for the entire term, which means your monthly principal and interest payments never change. While property taxes and insurance can cause your total monthly payment to fluctuate, the loan itself offers long-term stability that's especially valuable when rates are volatile.

How Fixed-Rate Mortgages Work

When you take out a fixed-rate mortgage, your lender guarantees a steady interest rate from day one until the loan is paid off. Even though published rates change daily — sometimes by the hour — once you close, your rate won't budge.

Payments follow an amortization schedule. In the early years, most of your monthly payment covers interest, with only a small portion reducing your loan balance. As time goes on, the balance shifts, and more of each payment chips away at your principal.

Example: A $300,000, 30-year fixed loan at 6.8% comes with a monthly payment of about $1,956 (excluding taxes and insurance). Early on, only around $255 goes toward the loan balance, while nearly all the rest pays interest. Fast forward 20 years, and roughly half of that monthly payment reduces principal.

Current Fixed-Rate Mortgage Rates

During the pandemic, rates hit historic lows, bottoming out at 2.65% in January 2021. But after the Federal Reserve began raising rates in 2022, mortgage costs climbed quickly. By late 2023, the average 30-year fixed mortgage had spiked to 7.79%. Since then, rates have settled but remain elevated, hovering above 6% throughout 2024 and into 2025.

Shorter loan terms typically offer lower rates — for example, 15-year fixed mortgages — though the monthly payments are higher.

Who Qualifies for a Fixed-Rate Mortgage?

Requirements vary by loan type:

Conventional loans: Usually require a minimum 620 credit score, a down payment of at least 3%, and a debt-to-income ratio of 43% or less.

Government-backed loans: FHA, VA, and USDA programs allow more flexibility, offering lower credit score minimums or reduced down payment options.

Conforming vs. non-conforming loans: Conforming loans meet Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) standards, including loan limits, while jumbo loans and other non-conforming products require stricter qualifications.

Amortizing vs. non-amortizing loans: Most fixed mortgages are amortizing, paying down principal and interest together. A small segment of non-amortizing, interest-only products exist but often involve balloon payments later.

30-Year vs. 15-Year Fixed Mortgages

The 30-year fixed mortgage remains the gold standard for affordability, offering lower monthly payments, though with higher total interest over the life of the loan.

The 15-year fixed mortgage comes with higher monthly costs but a lower interest rate and significantly less paid in total interest. For buyers with strong incomes, this option builds equity faster and can save tens of thousands over time.

Many lenders now offer flexible terms — from 8 years up to 40 years — giving borrowers more control over their repayment strategy.

Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages

While fixed loans dominate the U.S. market, adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are another option. ARMs start with a lower introductory rate, making them appealing for buyers who plan to move or refinance within a few years. However, once adjustments kick in, rates (and payments) can rise sharply, making long-term budgeting riskier.

Pros and Cons of Fixed-Rate Mortgages

Pros

• Predictable monthly payments that simplify budgeting
• Protection from rising interest rates

Cons

• Higher initial rates compared to ARMs
• No automatic savings if rates fall (you'd need to refinance)

What Homebuyers Should Keep in Mind

Even with today's higher interest rate environment, fixed-rate mortgages remain the most reliable choice for buyers planning to stay put long term. The certainty of a locked-in payment outweighs the gamble of waiting for lower rates that may never arrive.

For short-term homeowners or those expecting to relocate soon, an ARM might be worth considering. But for most buyers, the stability of a fixed-rate mortgage continues to be the safest path to sustainable homeownership.

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