State of House Buyers of America – May, 2026

There’s always something changing in the housing market. Mortgage rates continue to fluctuate, inventory varies drastically from one market to the next, and buyers are becoming more selective about the homes they pursue.

The same is true here at House Buyers of America.

From the types of homes we’re buying to the situations sellers are facing behind the scenes, each month gives us a real-time look at what’s happening in today’s market. Here’s what we saw in May 2026.

Key Numbers This May, 2026

May continued building on the momentum we’ve seen throughout 2026, especially in year-over-year performance.

Compared to April 2025, dispositions increased by 50% in April 2026, while revenue increased by 111%. During the same period, gross margin increased by 60%.

Month over month, acquisitions increased by 8%, while year-to-date acquisitions are up 100% compared to the same period last year. Revenue increased by 57%, while gross margin increased by 36%.

While real estate numbers naturally fluctuate month to month, the broader trend continues showing that more homeowners are prioritizing certainty, speed, and flexibility when selling.

What We’re Seeing From Sellers in May 2026

Based on the homes we purchased this month, several patterns stood out.

We continue seeing many landlords reach a breaking point with difficult rental properties. In many cases, the homes need extensive repairs after years of wear and tear, while ongoing carrying costs continue putting pressure on the owner. We’ve worked with many landlords who simply no longer want the responsibility of managing problem tenants, repairs, or outdated homes.

We’re also seeing more mobile and modular homes requiring significant updates before they can realistically sell on the traditional market. In some situations, sellers discover that not every buyer or investor is willing to purchase these property types, especially if they need substantial work.

Inherited properties remain a major trend. Many beneficiaries simply don’t want to invest additional money into cleaning, repairing, or updating a home before selling, particularly when they live out of state or are already dealing with other responsibilities.

Typically, these situations reflect broader financial pressures, shifting priorities, and the rising cost of preparing a home for today’s market.

Recent Seller Situations

Here are a couple of recent situations we helped homeowners work through.

One homeowner, Michael Landers in South Chesterfield, VA, needed to sell a mobile home built on a permanent foundation that required extensive repairs. Rather than continue investing money in the property, he chose to sell directly to House Buyers of America and walked away from a difficult situation with cash in hand, without making repairs first.

We also worked with Howard Beizer in Newport News, VA, who was ready to move on from a stressful rental property after dealing with years of tenant-related damage. The home needed significant cleanup, repairs, and smoke remediation, making it difficult to sell traditionally. Instead of spending more time and money fixing the property, Howard sold the home As-Is and was able to move on without additional stress.

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What’s Happening in the Market

These trends line up with what we’re seeing across the broader housing market. The numbers are always changing, so here’s what we’re seeing in May, 2026:

• Mortgage rates are currently around 6.37%, which is a drop of .39% over the last year
• Median home prices are down by 2.9% compared to last year
• May 14th, 2026, marks the 29th consecutive week where asking prices have either fallen or remained flat
• Homes are taking four more days to sell compared to last year

Mortgage rates remain above 6%, continuing to create affordability challenges for many buyers. At the same time, buyers are becoming increasingly selective, especially in markets where inventory has improved compared to previous years.

We’re also seeing a growing divide between move-in-ready homes and homes needing repairs. In many competitive markets, buyers want updated properties that don’t require immediate work, while fixer-uppers are taking longer to sell and often require price reductions.

As conditions continue to shift, many homeowners are weighing the trade-off between maximizing price and minimizing time, cost, and uncertainty.

What This Means for Homeowners

For homeowners, today’s market is becoming increasingly situation-dependent.

If your home is updated, move-in ready, and you have flexibility with your timeline, listing traditionally may still be a strong option. But if your home needs repairs, has tenant issues, or you’re facing a time-sensitive situation, the traditional process can quickly become more expensive and unpredictable than expected.

We’ve seen many sellers underestimate how much inspections, financing delays, and repair negotiations can impact a sale.

That’s especially true for inherited homes, older properties, damaged rentals, or homes that require major updates to compete with move-in-ready inventory.

The best option ultimately depends on your property, timeline, and goals.

A Simple Option

For homeowners looking for a more straightforward solution, House Buyers of America offers a simple way to sell your house As-Is.

There are no repairs, no showings, and no commissions. We provide a competitive cash offer and a flexible closing timeline so homeowners can move forward without the uncertainty that often comes with traditional sales.

In many situations, sellers are surprised to learn that the difference between selling traditionally and selling directly is smaller than expected once repairs, holding costs, agent commissions, and time are factored in.

If you’re exploring your options, it’s one path worth considering.