Why 2026 Could Be The First Real Opportunity For Buyers In Years | January 16, 2026

On today’s Hot Sheet, Byron Lazine broke down Redfin data showing U.S. pending home sales fell 5.9% in December, hitting their lowest level on record outside of April 2020.

He also reviewed Zillow’s latest forecast projecting that 20 of the 50 largest U.S. metros will be affordable by the end of 2026, the highest share since 2022.

For today’s third topic, he covered Realtor.com’s December Rental Report, which showed asking rents fell for the 29th straight month to a $1,689 median, down 0.7% year over year but still up 16.9% since 2019.