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   Brew Review // Morning Brew // Update
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     How the housing market is changing...
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             March 01, 2026
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                 Jim Stoten
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           <h3 style="color:#1c7ff2;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700">
            EDITOR'S NOTE
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                 Before we get into our Sunday stories, there’s some breaking news. Early Saturday morning, the US and Israel launched a major attack on Iran.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Then, yesterday afternoon, Trump
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  posted on Truth Social
                 </a>
                 that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had led the country since 1989, was killed, and that US intelligence played a role. Israeli officials said several other top Iranian officials were also killed. Iran confirmed Khamenei’s death early this morning. His death is a major blow to the regime and increases the likelihood of a prolonged regional conflict.
                </p>
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                 Trump, in his Truth Social statement, also noted that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” will continue in Iran “as long as necessary.”
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 The broader operation, referred to by US officials as Operation Epic Fury, reportedly targeted hundreds of sites across Iran (Israeli officials have estimated 500 targets were hit in the opening wave of attacks). In response, Iran launched ballistic missiles toward Israel and locations in the Gulf where US troops are stationed. The fighting has also disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway for one-fifth of the world’s oil.
                </p>
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                 The goal of the US–Israel “massive and ongoing campaign,” President Trump
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  said
                 </a>
                 in an 8-minute video, is to prevent Iran from ever having a nuclear weapon, “to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” to “annihilate their navy,” prevent the regime’s proxies from carrying out terrorist attacks, and, ultimately, to catalyze regime change.
                </p>
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                 You can see the latest updates
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  here
                 </a>
                 .
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                 And now, on to today’s Sunday Special...
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                <hr/>
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                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Good morning.
                 </strong>
                 Buying a home? In this economy? Today, we’re taking a look at who’s buying, where they’re doing it (and where they’re not), how some friends are banding together to make it work, and what role AI has to play. So, whether you’re a hopeful renter or already on the hook for a 30-year mortgage, read on.
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           <h3 style="color:#1c7ff2;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700">
            $$$$
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                <a style="color:#000;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                 Don’t blame homebuying woes on avocado toast
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                 Buying a starter home in 2026 is equivalent to medaling at the Olympics, at least in terms of how much your parents will brag about it to their friends. That’s because becoming
                 <del>
                  someone who doesn’t shut up about their HOA
                 </del>
                 a homeowner has become a feat attainable only in
                 <em>
                  The Sims
                 </em>
                 for most young Americans.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Though prices have come down slightly in the past year, the current median home sale price of $405,000 is far above the $329,000 from 2020. And on top of the initial price tag, there’s the eye-popping cost of a home loan, which has been driven up by the Federal Reserve hiking interest rates starting in 2022:
                </p>
                <ul style="margin-top:0;padding-left:30px">
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   The average US mortgage rate may have
                  </span>
                  <span>
                   <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                    dropped
                   </a>
                  </span>
                  <span>
                   below 6% this week for the first time since 2022, but it’s still more than double the 2.97% rate in 2021.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   Rising prices and mortgage rates pushed the average monthly mortgage payment to $2,329 in 2025, up from $1,924 two years prior, according to Rocket Homes.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                </ul>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Meanwhile, homeowners who locked in low mortgage rates pre-2022 are now reluctant to list their properties, constraining supply. As a result, prices for preowned homes are elevated, and fewer keys are changing hands. The number of home sale contracts signed last month fell to the lowest point since 2001, per the National Association of Realtors.
                </p>
                <h2 style="color:#000;margin:0 0 15px;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:19px;font-weight:700">
                 Older buyers, smaller homes
                </h2>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Pricier homes mean that by the time Americans have saved up for a down payment, they might need glasses to read the fine print on their mortgage documents: The median age of first-time homebuyers has climbed to 40 in 2025, from 30 in 2010.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 While Americans are paying more for homes, they’re getting less floor space. The size of an average new home dropped by 11% over the last decade, while the price per square foot rose 74%, according to a recent LendingTree study. Developers are building homes with fewer hallways in order to scrimp on increasingly expensive labor and materials.
                </p>
                <h2 style="color:#000;margin:0 0 15px;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:19px;font-weight:700">
                 Silver linings
                </h2>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 But there might be more housewarming parties soon. Mortgage rates have started to come down in recent months, thanks to the Fed slashing interest rates. Economists predict that rates continuing to decline could lead to more homeowners listing their dwellings as they look to move.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 And though preowned homes are growing pricier, they’re also becoming more affordable for some, as price growth slowed and income growth outpaced home inflation last year. The rate of homeownership by Gen Zers rose by 1 percentage point last year to 27%, per Redfin, driven by new condos becoming more affordable.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  But many youths are done chasing the white picket fence dream…
                 </strong>
                 instead turning to other ways to grow their piggy banks, like investments in stocks and crypto, particularly by those with spare cash but
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  not enough
                 </a>
                 of it to afford a home.
                 <em>
                  —SK
                 </em>
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            Presented By Northwestern Mutual
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              Home is where the plan is
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              Open houses are super fun for your eyes but way less fun for your wallet.
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             </p>
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              It’s not just you. According to Northwestern Mutual’s
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                2025 Planning &amp; Progress Study
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              , 53% of non-homeowners think buying a home will never be financially realistic.
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              Well, folks, dreams do come true. When you partner with a financial advisor, like one from Northwestern Mutual, they’ll help you see your full financial picture and uncover blind spots. They can help you consider
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               how much it really costs to buy a home
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              and ways to save for your down payment while still keeping all your other goals on track.
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              Homeownership might feel impossible now, but with a good plan, you could reach your financial goals sooner than you think.
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              .
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            COOLING OFF
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                 The hottest (and coldest) US housing markets
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                 Just like you when you tan poolside, housing markets often take a dip after getting scorching hot. Many of the regions that enjoyed soaring demand and booming home values during the Covid-19 pandemic are now yelling “cannonball!”
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Regions cooling down:
                 </strong>
                 The Southeast and Southwest (aka the Sun Belt)—where remote workers and other Covid adapters previously flocked en masse—is now swamped. Some of those markets, especially in Texas and Florida, now have the highest rates of underwater properties, which means an owner owes more on their mortgage than the home is worth. This rate is
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  growing
                 </a>
                 overall, according to data from the Intercontinental Exchange:
                </p>
                <ul style="margin-top:0;padding-left:30px">
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   About 2.1% of US homeowners with a mortgage were underwater by the end of 2025, equalling 1.1 million people.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   That’s the largest underwater portion of borrowers since 2018, and it represents a 60% increase from the beginning of 2025.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                </ul>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  How the pendulum swings:
                 </strong>
                 Hot housing markets are dominated by sellers who face overwhelming demand for limited inventory, leading their properties to sell quickly and at a premium. Booming post-pandemic growth started leveling off in 2022, when sky-high inflation triggered higher interest rates (and, by extension,
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  mortgage rates
                 </a>
                 ), while construction ramped up to give homebuyers more options—all of which tends to cool a hot market.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Now, many people who bought their homes after 2022 are grappling with the one-two punch of high mortgage rates and falling demand for homes in their areas, potentially leading swaths of underwater sellers to wait on listing their homes rather than selling them for a loss.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  On the flip side,
                 </strong>
                 underwater mortgages are now less common on the West Coast and in the Northeast and Midwest. Demand is rising, and homes are moving quickly in the latter two areas. The two
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  hottest
                 </a>
                 housing markets in the US last month were Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Hartford, Connecticut, according to Realtor.com.
                 <em>
                  —ML
                 </em>
                </p>
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            HOUSE HUNTERS
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                 AI has found a home in real estate
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                  Sundaemorning/Getty Images
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                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Buying and selling a home can be a chore, as anyone who’s ever posted a picture holding a set of keys with the caption “So, we did a thing!” can attest. Many people have
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  turned to AI
                 </a>
                 to help smooth out the process.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Streamlining search:
                 </strong>
                 Rather than clicking through 100 boxes to pick your desired home type, price, square footage, and amenities, you can just ask ChatGPT to “find three-bedroom homes that have been on the market for a while with a fenced-in yard, fireplace, and a dog park nearby.”
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 If you add “Zillow” to the front of your prompt, it will bring up the app and show you photos and maps. Unfortunately, AI still can’t tell you whether the neighbors next door raise tarantulas.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Getting down to brass tacks:
                 </strong>
                 Once you find a place, AI can help make you aware of potential red flags or determine how much to offer by:
                </p>
                <ul style="margin-top:0;padding-left:30px">
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   Pointing out things like old roofs, suspect HVAC systems, and cracks in the drywall.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   Determining how much energy those vaulted ceilings could cost you.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   Translating notes from a home inspection into plain language.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                </ul>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Sellers are getting in on the action, too:
                 </strong>
                 Realtors are using generative AI to virtually stage home photos and write property descriptions. There are some horror stories (like AI-hallucinated
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  bathroom demons
                 </a>
                 ), but overall, 50% of agents say AI has had at least a moderately positive impact on business, according to a 2025 National Association of Realtors survey.—
                 <em>
                  BC
                 </em>
                </p>
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           <h3 style="color:#1c7ff2;text-transform:uppercase;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700">
            Together With Northwestern Mutual
           </h3>
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           <img alt="Northwestern Mutual" class="sponsored-header-image" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmorningbrew.com%252Fcdn-cgi%252Fimage%252Fwidth%253D1232%252Cformat%253Dauto%252Fhttps%253A%252F%252Fstorage.morningbrew.com%252Fimage%252F2026-02-27%252Fimage-692b7b0582bc61d38de201764f62eabbfa5a7c9d-2000x1500-jpg%252FMorningBrew_Images-1000x750_Phase3.2-11.jpg/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtb3JuaW5nYnJldyIsInRpbWUiOjE3NzIzNjMwNjkuMTU4Mjc1OH0:1vweb7:yEeMoJk4dafr5EgGOcWfPm5weI3_yeNjBiVhaWZPGII" style="width:100%;max-width:670px;padding-top:15px;display:block" width="670"/>
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             <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
              <strong style="color:#000">
               Big dreams need big plans.
              </strong>
              Over half of non-homeowners think homeownership is out of reach, according to Northwestern’s
              <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
               <em>
                2025 Planning &amp; Progress Study
               </em>
              </a>
              . But with guidance from a financial advisor and a solid plan, your financial goals—like owning your very own home—can start to feel a lot more attainable.
              <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
               Make a plan
              </a>
              .
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            FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS
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                 Friends are going splitsies on homeownership
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                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 The high cost of buying a home has helped some reimagine the concept of friends with benefits. Instead of cramming into an overpriced studio rental to save money, buddies are
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  splitting the cost of owning a property
                 </a>
                 they couldn’t afford individually.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Zillow reported that US home values
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  skyrocketed 45%
                 </a>
                 between February 2020 and February 2025, which it called “more than a decade’s worth of typical growth” in only five years. And the rental market saw
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  a similarly large increase
                 </a>
                 over that time, per Rental Housing Journal, making co-buying a consideration for younger generations.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Per a 2025 FirstHome IQ
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  survey
                 </a>
                 of 1,000 respondents between the ages of 18 and 44:
                </p>
                <ul style="margin-top:0;padding-left:30px">
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   Sharing a home with your bestie is particularly appealing to Gen Zers (classified here as ages 18 to 24), as 32% said they would consider co-buying.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                 <li style="margin-bottom:10px;line-height:22px">
                  <span>
                   Millennials (ages 25 to 44) aren’t against the idea either—18% said they were up for it.
                  </span>
                 </li>
                </ul>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 A 2024 report by JW Surety Bonds found that 15% of Americans have made home purchases with a friend or relative, and another 48% would consider doing so.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Home security:
                 </strong>
                 Since this isn’t the same as roommates splitting the cost of a couch, it’s recommended to put the partnership in writing. Two options are a joint tenancy agreement or a tenancy-in-common agreement. These arrangements allow partial ownership of the property (and theoretically, the couch, too) to be sold or inherited if circumstances change.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  End of an era?
                 </strong>
                 Zillow home trends expert Amanda Pendleton
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  told
                 </a>
                 CNBC that one reason why only 5% of homes were co-bought last year is that rent prices are stabilizing. According to the new Apartment List National Rent Report, the national median rent has fallen for six straight months, not that anyone looking for a place in New York or San Francisco will believe that.
                 <em>
                  —DL
                 </em>
                </p>
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            LOWER THE DRAWBRIDGE
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                 If you have to ask, you can’t afford these amenities
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                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 Once upon a time, wealthy Americans may have thirsted for indoor bowling alleys and home theaters with leather recliners, but luxury amenities have gotten an upgrade. Here are a few of the must-haves the affluent are sending to their realtors:
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Wellness:
                 </strong>
                 Wealthy homeowners are focused on spa-style bathrooms: heated floors, cold plunges, and specialty air and water filtration systems.
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  Saunas
                 </a>
                 are nonnegotiable, with some room-sized built-ins costing homeowners as much as $100,000. And people are still opting for private pickleball courts at their primary residences rather than roughing it at the local country club, a trend that took off during the pandemic.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Getting cozy:
                 </strong>
                 A wood-burning fireplace is one of the most sought-after home amenities, according to Zillow, but tightening safety and environmental regulations have prevented them in new builds. Even when they’re allowed, finding a mason with the niche skills to build one can be wildly expensive—and maintaining it takes a lot of work. The ultimate baller move is to
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  hire someone else
                 </a>
                 to cut the wood and clean it up so you can keep romanticizing chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
                </p>
                <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                 <strong style="color:#000">
                  Batten down the hatches:
                 </strong>
                 Luxury real estate professionals
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  told
                 </a>
                 Architectural Digest that most high-income buyers are making purchase decisions “through a lens of risk mitigation rather than creative vision.” That might help explain the ultrawealthy’s heavy investments in
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  security
                 </a>
                 : hidden cameras, motion sensors, strapped security guards,
                 <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                  actual moats
                 </a>
                 , and bespoke safe rooms. AI advancements have also made it easier to introduce facial and license plate recognition programs in communities that can afford it.
                 <em>
                  —MM
                 </em>
                </p>
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            BREW'S BEST
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              <img alt="To-Do List" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fmorningbrew.com%252Fcdn-cgi%252Fimage%252Fwidth%253D1240%252Cformat%253Dauto%252Fhttps%253A%252F%252Fstorage.morningbrew.com%252Fimage%252F2025-11-24%252Fimage-ff42f96869558a4ad4ab4f10936a3830dbf1d044-1350x330-png%252FMB_newsletter_banner_new.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtb3JuaW5nYnJldyIsInRpbWUiOjE3NzIzNjMwNjkuMTU5MjIxMn0:1vweb7:xQdzgOFNd9y9Lf8PXK-AiGOdmw_D9u18Q4h4mNxpMi8" style="width:100%;max-width:670px;display:block" width="670"/>
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                  <strong style="color:#000">
                   Gift:
                  </strong>
                  A
                  <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                   casserole dish
                  </a>
                  that makes the perfect housewarming present.**
                 </p>
                 <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                  <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fem-content.zobj.net%252Fthumbs%252F120%252Fapple%252F237%252Fwhite-heavy-check-mark_2705.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZlbS1jb250ZW50LiIsInRpbWUiOjE3NzIzNjMwNjkuMTU5NDI4OH0:1vweb7:45bDkGUr_3pG3Ny9h3zycyGrDOz9v4FqpdKeIbFUWI0" style="max-width:18px" width="18"/>
                  <strong style="color:#000">
                   Renovate:
                  </strong>
                  These
                  <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                   remodeling projects
                  </a>
                  give you the best bang for your buck.
                 </p>
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                  <strong style="color:#000">
                   Read:
                  </strong>
                  Owning a home can be a lot
                  <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                   more expensive
                  </a>
                  than you think.
                 </p>
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                  <strong style="color:#000">
                   Watch:
                  </strong>
                  Under-the-radar
                  <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                   things to consider
                  </a>
                  when buying a house.
                 </p>
                 <p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:15px;line-height:22px">
                  <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fem-content.zobj.net%252Fthumbs%252F120%252Fapple%252F237%252Fwhite-heavy-check-mark_2705.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZlbS1jb250ZW50LiIsInRpbWUiOjE3NzIzNjMwNjkuMTU5NzIxfQ:1vweb7:_LQTaQoBjCNXT0OyYWW-Z118GtWYQG746Yz5XFoByp4" style="max-width:18px" width="18"/>
                  <strong style="color:#000">
                   Map:
                  </strong>
                  Which state has the highest
                  <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                   median home price
                  </a>
                  ?
                 </p>
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                  <img alt="" src="https://inboxflows.com/_/image/https%253A%252F%252Fem-content.zobj.net%252Fthumbs%252F120%252Fapple%252F237%252Fwhite-heavy-check-mark_2705.png/?inbox_flows_img_sig=eyJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZlbS1jb250ZW50LiIsInRpbWUiOjE3NzIzNjMwNjkuMTU5ODE2N30:1vweb7:xR9AXrfdjHL57NSfHUaUPZ6ilmMI1c1zp1DhJUfQQNg" style="max-width:18px" width="18"/>
                  <strong style="color:#000">
                   Home, sweet home:
                  </strong>
                  Homeownership feelin’ like it might not happen for you? Maybe you just need a
                  <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                   good plan
                  </a>
                  . Northwestern Mutual’s financial advisors can help you map costs, save strategically, and
                  <a class="link" style="color:#333;border-bottom:2px solid #1c7ff2;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
                   keep your financial goals on track
                  </a>
                  .*
                 </p>
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                   our
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                   writers. When you buy through this link, Morning Brew may earn a commission.
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