For more than 25 years, I've helped people buy and sell real estate. I've worked through the housing crash, the foreclosure crisis, the pandemic boom, and just about every shift in between.
But I honestly believe this may be one of the most difficult environments I've ever seen — not just for real estate professionals, but for ordinary Americans trying to own a home. Home prices remain high. Mortgage rates have taken away a huge amount of buying power. Property taxes and homeowners insurance keep climbing in many parts of the country.
The rules around how buyers work with agents have changed. And starting November 2nd, a completely redesigned appraisal format becomes mandatory for loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. At the same time, large corporations are competing to control where consumers search for homes, which properties they see, and which agents and lenders they end up working with. So I think it's worth asking a question that might make some people uncomfortable: is homeownership simply going through a difficult cycle — or is it gradually being priced and engineered out of reach for the average buyer?
I don't believe there's a coordinated conspiracy here. I don't have evidence of one, and I'm not going to pretend that I do. But when government policy, industry rule changes, economic pressure, and corporate strategy all seem to be producing the same outcome, I think it's worth examining — and worth asking who benefits. What's Actually Making Homeownership Harder Right Now
In the video above, I break down four areas I think every buyer, seller, and fellow agent should be paying attention to:
1. The real cost of ownership — beyond the mortgage payment itself, rising insurance premiums and post-sale tax reassessments are quietly pricing out buyers who technically "qualify" for a loan but can't sustain the full monthly cost of ownership.
3. The November 2nd appraisal overhaul — UAD 3.6 is a complete redesign of the appraisal reporting format, and completed reports are expected to run 25–30 pages, compared to roughly 4–6 pages today. During the transition, I expect this to mean more revision requests, more validation issues, and potentially longer closing timelines.
4. Who controls the front door — platforms like Zillow, Realtor.com, Homes.com, and Redfin have become the primary gateway for how consumers search for homes and find agents. That convenience comes with trade-offs worth understanding, including referral fees baked into the transaction that most consumers never see.
Why This Matters to You Whether you're a home buyer trying to plan your next move, a seller wondering how these changes affect your sale, or a fellow agent navigating the same shifting landscape — I think this is a conversation worth having honestly, without the sugar-coating.
I'd genuinely like to know what you think. Are we in the middle of a difficult but temporary housing cycle? Or are we watching something more structural take shape — one where fewer working Americans own homes and more real estate becomes concentrated among institutions and buyers who already have wealth?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below. I read and respond to every one. If you're thinking about buying or selling in Jacksonville or anywhere in Northeast Florida and want to talk through what these changes actually mean for your specific situation, feel free to reach out — I'm always happy to help you cut through the noise.
Mike
Mike And Cindy Jones, Jacksonville Real Estate Agents REALTORS®
904 874-0422
Comments(2)