StatewiseFinance

Financial News · California California Proposition 37: The Middle-Class Down Payment Act — What You Need to Know (2026) Updated: July 2026 · Sources: California Secretary of State, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters Memorandum (June 29, 2026) A new housing measure has officially qualified for California's November 3, 2026 ballot as Proposition 37 . Here's a fact-checked breakdown of what it does — and, just as important, who it doesn't apply to. The Basics Vote date: November 3, 2026 What it creates: A state-backed loan program for middle-income buyers Funding: Up to $25 billion in bonds Loan amount: Up to 17% of the purchase price, as a fixed-rate second mortgage from the state How This Measure Got Here Proposition 37 didn't appear overnight. The measure became eligible for the ballot on April 21, 2026, after organizers gathered enough verified si...

New 2026 Federal Housing Law: What the ROAD to Housing Act Means for Homebuyers Updated: July 11, 2026 | Sources: CBS News · NPR · PBS NewsHour · NBC News · The Hill · CNBC New Federal Housing Law: What the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Means for Homebuyers Became Law: July 11, 2026 (12:01 a.m.) · Senate Vote: 85-5 · House Vote: 358-32 The most sweeping federal housing bill in decades is now law. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act automatically took effect early Saturday after President Trump chose not to sign or veto it. Here is what actually changed, and what it could mean for anyone trying to buy, sell, or rent a home in 2026. How it became law without a signature: Congress passed the bill in June with overwhelming bipartisan support, but Trump withheld his signature in protest over an unrelated voter ID bill (the SAVE America Act) stalling in the Senate. Under the Constitution, a bill becomes law automatically if the president neither signs nor vet...

Should I Buy a House in 2026? What 62% of Americans Are Getting Wrong | StatewiseFinance Updated: June 10, 2026 | Sources: U.S. News Survey (Apr 2026) · Clever Real Estate · BiggerPockets · Freddie Mac · NAR · Bankrate · The Mortgage Reports Should I Buy a House in 2026? What 62% of Americans Are Getting Wrong About Waiting for Rates In May 2026, 62% of Americans said they were waiting for mortgage rates to drop before buying a home. Here's the uncomfortable fact: the same 62% said the same thing in 2025 — and rates didn't drop enough to matter. Meanwhile, home prices kept rising. This guide gives you the real math to make the right decision for your situation. The data is clear: In a May 2026 U.S. News survey of 1,207 Americans planning to buy a home, 62% said they were waiting for rates to fall. In a similar 2025 survey, 80% said the same. Rates didn't fall enough to justify waiting — and home prices continued to rise. The people who waited ...

Help With Mortgage 2026 — What to Do If You're Struggling to Make Payments | StatewiseFinance Updated: June 10, 2026 | Sources: CFPB · VA.gov · Fannie Mae · HUD.gov · Bankrate · CNBC · Cotality Help With Mortgage 2026 — What to Do If You're Struggling Forbearance · Loan Modification · HAF · VA Partial Claim · Free HUD Counseling Google searches for "help with mortgage" have surged to their highest level ever recorded — surpassing even the 2008 financial crisis. If you are struggling to make mortgage payments in 2026, you are not alone — and you have more options than you may realize. This guide covers every available option, step by step. Do NOT ignore missed payments. The single most damaging thing you can do is avoid the problem. The earlier you contact your mortgage servicer, the more options you have. Once you are 90+ days behind, options become significantly more limited and foreclosure proceedings can begin. Call your servicer toda...

First-Time Homebuyer Programs by State 2026 — Down Payment Assistance Guide | StatewiseFinance Updated: June 2026 | Sources: State housing finance agencies · HUD.gov · CFPB · Bankrate · mortgage-info.com First-Time Homebuyer Programs by State (2026) Grants, forgivable loans, and 0% down payment assistance — find your state's best programs Over 2,000 down payment assistance programs exist across all 50 states. Most eligible buyers never apply — they simply don't know these programs exist. This guide covers the best programs in every major state, updated for 2026. Most buyers leave money on the table: The majority of first-time buyers who qualify for DPA programs never apply for them. On a $415,000 home, missing a $20,000 DPA program means paying $20,000 more than necessary — plus the compounding cost of a larger loan. Check your state before saving for a down payment. What "first-time buyer" means for most programs: You do not need...

How to Buy a Home in the US 2026 — Complete Step-by-Step Guide | StatewiseFinance Updated: June 2026 | Sources: Bankrate · Rocket Mortgage · NAR · HUD.gov · Freddie Mac How to Buy a Home in the US (2026) A complete step-by-step guide — from checking your credit to getting your keys Home prices and mortgage rates remain high in 2026. This guide walks you through every step of the process with current numbers, real costs, and the mistakes most first-time buyers make — so you don't have to make them too. 2026 Market Reality: The US median home price is $415,200 (NAR, Q1 2026). First-time buyers are putting down a median of 10% — the highest since 1989. Current 30-year rates average 6.53%. The process takes 45–90 days from accepted offer to closing. Planning ahead is more important than ever. Current Mortgage Rates — June 2026 30-yr Conventional 6.53% Bankrate June 8, 2026 30-yr FHA 6.15% 3.5% min down payment 30-yr VA Loan 5.75% Veterans onl...