The real estate market has been spookily slow in many areas. Mortgage rates are in the seven percent range and without a big jump in income or reduction in home prices many buyers are frozen out of the market. There are still plenty of home sales happening when the homes are priced within the range suitable for that market. Be sure to check out some of the great real estate reads in this month’s roundup to keep up to date on your real estate knowledge.

How Much House Can You Afford?

The answer is not usually the pre-approval amount as some may think. While the pre-approval amount gives one an upper range of home they can buy, the home buyer really needs to be looking at the monthly payments. Monthly payments can and do vary because of the difference in property taxes and homeowners insurance as Mortgage Lender Paul Sian explains. Even two homes right next to each other can have different homeowner insurance amounts based on factors like the buyer’s credit score and the homes prior history of claims. Before buying a home, home buyers need to fully understand their monthly budget and make sure the home they are actually buying does not stretch their budget.

BRRRR Investing

BRRRR Investing or buy, rehab, rent, refinance and repeat is a strategy investors can use to start real estate investing at a small level and build up equity over time. There are a lot of pitfalls with real estate investing and this article looks at how one should successfully navigate the BRRRR investing strategy. Investing in real estate requires strong knowledge and a network of contractors to help ensure a successful investment. Leverage with this type of investing can be high if one does not have the cash to fund the repairs but the gains can be great if done successful over time.

Mortgage Rate Lock In Phenomena

The mortgage lock in effect refers to homeowners who may have bought a home in the recent past and did so with a low mortgage rate compared to today. With today’s mortgage rates in the seven percent range those who bought a home in the 3-4 percent range have a huge advantage in that their monthly mortgage payment is low compared to what they would face today with the higher rate. Unfortunately the low mortgage rate can also lock one into a home as Luke Skar explains. What that means is to buy the same home today with today’s mortgage rate would result in a much higher payment that may not be affordable compared to the lower rate. Learn about what options homeowners have when considering a move and facing a mortgage lock0in effect.

Home Renovation Shortcuts That Hurt Home Value

When it comes to renovating a home there are a lot of shortcuts shared online that can look great on video or in photos but when it comes to the actual result it may not be that great. In this article by Michelle Gibson she covers some renovation shortcuts that will only lead to long term pain rather than gain in the end. Especially if one is readying their home for sale the renovation shortcuts taken will be readily apparent to home buyers which will likely cause them to pass on the home with those shortcuts. Even if the homeowner plans on staying in the home for some time those shortcuts can come back to bite the homeowner when it costs more to fix the underlying issues.

Converting a Home Into a Rental

Prior to letting a tenant move into a home that was used as a personal residence the homeowner should document the condition of the home. The documentation process helps the homeowner understand what the current condition of the home is and helps them understand if any changes or upgrades need to be made for the tenant. Things like maintenance already performed, maintenance schedules, operation of certain systems (security, HVAC etc.), keys, alarm codes and more should be listed out and described in detail. Doing that and taking pictures and videos of the home prior to move in is a smart way to make sure there is no confusion as to condition if the tenant does have some issues or upon the tenant moving out.

Large Investors Stepping Away From Housing

Large and mega investors (investors who have bought 51 or more units over the course of their investing span) have decidedly taken a step back from investing in single family homes as explained at WolfStreet.com. While some of this could be traced to pressure from the US Government pushing back on institutional ownership of homes, there seems to be suggestions that this is the smart money leaving for the exits before turmoil starts. Largely most homeowners are in a better off situation today compared to the past when liar loans and improper mortgages were extended and many homeowners were underwater. These days many homeowners are sitting on quite a bit of positive equity that even if forced to sell it should not cause a shock to the financial system.

What other articles did you find helpful from October 2026? Feel free to share in the comments below.