The number of homes for sale has been lagging for years. It’s been among the housing market’s main challenges. That’s because a lack of available homes combined with rising buyer demand leads to steady price increases and declining affordability. But while that can be good for homeowner equity, it’s bad for buyers – especially first-time buyers who don’t have the benefit of cashing in their equity to help fund a home purchase. This continuing imbalance only got worse when the coronavirus led to stay-at-home orders across the country. That caused some buyers to delay their plans but, more than that, it led homeowners to think twice before putting their home up for sale. This caused new listings to plummet. In fact, according to one recent analysis, the national inventory of homes for sale is down nearly 20 percent from last year. The good news, though, is things are starting to get better. By the end of May, the number of new listings had improved in 45 of the 50 largest U.S. markets compared to the month before. And while they’re still down, the fact that the rate of decline has gotten smaller is an indication that home sellers are starting to return to the market. If the trend continues, it’ll lead to a better balanced, and healthier, housing market. (source)