Home prices increase for the first time in eight months: Black Knight

Didier Malagies • April 12, 2023


Declining mortgage rates could have improved affordability for buyers in the housing market in February, but instead spurred a demand that, combined with a persistent lack of inventory across the U.S., put more pressure on home prices. 


According to the Black Knight’s mortgage monitor report, home prices rose 0.16% nationally in February compared to the month prior, marking the first monthly increase after seven months of declines.

In total, 39 of the 50 largest markets saw home prices increase on an adjusted basis in February. To compare, prices fell in November in 48 of 50 markets. 


“The purchase market increased when rates declined in the early part of the month, and borrowers were quick to take advantage of limited inventory,” Andy Walden, Black Knight’s vice president of enterprise research, said in a statement. “In many areas of the country, that dynamic – low inventory and a modest rise in demand – led to an uptick in home prices.” 


The annual home price growth rate fell to 1.94% in February, hitting a rate below 2% for the first time since 2012. Black Knight still expects the annual home price growth rate to fall below 0% by April, but said it would be a “temporary milestone,” should inventory challenges persist and mortgage rates decrease. 

And, according to Walden, the unfortunate reality is that the scarce supply of inventory that’s the source of so much “market gridlock” isn’t getting any better.


“Without a significant shift in interest rates, home prices or household income, this is a self-fulfilling dynamic that is quite likely to continue for some time,” Walden said. 


In February, the number of homes available for sale fell for the fifth consecutive month, and new listings ran 27% below pre-pandemic levels. In addition, 47 of 50 markets saw their active listing count decline that month. 


On the bright side, homeowners with mortgages still had $9.3 trillion in tappable equity available in February amid rising home prices. 


Reaction to bank failures 

According to the Black Knight report, as of the week ending on March 18, purchase lock counts were 21% lower compared to the same week in 2019 — and 30% below the levels for the same week in 2018.

However, Optimal Blue‘s 30-year conforming rates fell to 6.54% on March 13 due to banks’ failures (down from 6.73% earlier in the month), and purchase lock volumes spiked to levels not seen since July 2022. Meanwhile, refinance volumes remained low at 12.5% of rate locks, with cash-outs representing 7.1%. 

In February, it took 33.2% of the median household income to make the monthly principal and interest payments on the average home purchase, roughly equivalent to the peak of the market in 2006, and well above the long-run average of about 25%, according to Black Knight. 


Black Knight estimates that affordability would return to the long-run average with a 10% drop in home prices, a return to 5.25% interest rates on a 30-year mortgage and a 5% income growth — or some combination thereof. 


The national delinquency rate rose seven basis points to 3.45% in February and is now down 13% year over year.


According to Black Knight, March typically sees the most significant monthly improvement in mortgage delinquency rates as borrowers use tax refunds to catch up on their payments. However, smaller refunds and new economic pressures may lessen positive impacts this year. 





Have A Question?

Use the form below and we will give your our expert answers!

Reverse Mortgage Ask A Question


Start Your Loan with DDA today
Your local Mortgage Broker

Mortgage Broker Largo
See our Reviews

Looking for more details? Listen to our extended podcast! 

Check out our other helpful videos to learn more about credit and residential mortgages.

By Didier Malagies September 24, 2025
Speed & Efficiency AI Underwriting: Processes applications in seconds to minutes. 1.Can instantly pull data from multiple sources (credit reports, bank statements, income verification, property valuations, etc.). Ideal for high-volume, standardized cases. Human Underwriter: Takes hours to days, depending on complexity. Manually reviews documents, contacts third parties, and applies professional judgment. Slower, especially for complex or edge cases. 2. Data Handling AI: Uses algorithms and machine learning to analyze massive datasets. Can detect patterns humans might miss (e.g., spending behavior, alternative data like utility payments, even digital footprints in some markets). Human: Relies on traditional documentation (pay stubs, tax returns, appraisals). Limited by human bandwidth—can’t process as much raw data at once. 3. Consistency & Bias AI: Decisions are consistent with its rules and training data. However, if the data it’s trained on is biased, the system can replicate or even amplify those biases. Human: Brings subjective judgment. Can weigh special circumstances that don’t fit a neat rule. Risk of inconsistency—two underwriters might interpret the same file differently. May have unconscious bias, but also flexibility to override rigid criteria. 4. Risk Assessment AI: Excels at quantifiable risks (credit scores, loan-to-value ratios, historical claim data). Weak at unstructured or nuanced factors (e.g., a borrower with an unusual income stream, or a claim with unclear circumstances). Human: Strong at contextual judgment—understanding unique borrower situations, exceptions, or “gray areas.” Can pick up on red flags that an algorithm might miss (e.g., forged documents, conflicting information). 5. Regulation & Accountability AI: Regulators are still catching up. Requires transparency in decision-making (explainable AI). Hard to appeal an AI decision if it can’t explain its reasoning clearly. Human: Provides a clear chain of accountability—borrower can request explanations or escalate. Easier for compliance teams to audit decision-making. 6. Cost & Scalability AI: Scales cheaply—one system can process thousands of applications simultaneously. Lower ongoing labor costs once implemented. Human: Labor-intensive, costs grow with volume. Better suited for complex, high-value, or unusual cases rather than mass processing. ✅ Bottom line: AI underwriting is best for speed, scale, and straightforward cases. Human underwriters are best for nuanced judgment, exceptions, and handling edge cases. Most modern institutions use a hybrid model: AI handles the bulk of simple files, while humans step in for complex or flagged cases. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies September 17, 2025
A new survey from Clever Real Estate shows that 61% of baby boomer homeowners say they “never” plan to sell their homes, a jump of 7 percentage points from 2024. The main reason? More than half want to age in place. That’s a big shift. Baby boomers now make up the largest share of U.S. homeowners, and if more than 6 in 10 say they’ll “never” sell, that has ripple effects: Inventory squeeze : With fewer boomers putting homes on the market, younger buyers have less supply to choose from, which can keep prices elevated. Aging in place trend : The desire to stay put often means investing in accessibility upgrades—things like stair lifts, walk-in showers, and smart home tech for safety. Generational divide : Millennials and Gen Z face higher borrowing costs and limited starter-home availability, while boomers are holding onto larger family homes longer. Long-term planning : Some experts note that many of these homes will eventually transfer through inheritance rather than sales, changing how housing stock re-enters the market. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
Excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations.  Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
Show More