New year, new housing market? Not exactly.In early 2025, affordability remains a major challenge for prospective homebuyers, with rates and listing prices proving to be sticky, said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage kicked off 2025 near 7%, just above where it was last January."Several key factors can cause mortgage rates to rise or fall," said Valerie Saunders, chief executive strategist at the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. The mortgage market is deeply impacted by inflation, Federal Reserve policies, bond prices, GDP growth and employment figures, to name a few.Based on current economic conditions, a significant drop in mortgage rates before the spring home-buying season is unlikely, according to Saunders.Moreover, given recent strong economic data and speculation that President-elect Donald Trump's tax, immigration and tariff proposals will reignite inflation, the Fed is projecting a far slower pace of interest rate cuts by the agency in 2025.With so much uncertainty, the only sure thing is that mortgage rate forecasts always change. "Buyers shouldn't worry about timing the mortgage rate market, and instead should focus on finding a home that meets their budget and making as big of a down payment as possible," said Berner.Read more: 2025 Mortgage Rate ForecastWhere will mortgage rates go in 2025?Aside from typical day-to-day fluctuations, mortgage rates are expected to stay above 6.5% for the next few months. If inflation continues to cool and the Fed is able to carry out its projected two 0.25% cuts, mortgage rates could inch down closer to 6.25% later in the year.Today's rates seem high compared with the recent 2% rates of the pandemic era. But experts say getting below 3% on a 30-year fixed mortgage is unlikely without a severe economic downturn. Since the 1970s, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage has been around 7%.Only a sudden economic shock, such as the onset of a recession or spike in oil prices, could cause mortgage rates to plunge, said Keith Gumbinger, vice president of mortgage site HSH.com. "Drastic changes in direction are usually the result of some emerging significant event somewhere that upends financial markets." What will affect mortgage rates in the near term?The biggest wild card for mortgage rates is the new administration's economic policies. Trump's proposals for tax cuts and tariffs could stimulate demand, increase deficits and cause inflation to soar again. Mortgage rates are highly sensitive to inflation."Tax cuts, tariffs and mass deportations are all inflationary measures that would indirectly pull mortgage rates up while directly pushing up the cost of home construction and purchase," said Berner. If these policies are implemented quicker than markets expect, it could result in an equally fast surge in mortgage rates, Berner said.Higher inflation would also prompt the Fed to delay future rate reductions. Though the Fed influences the direction of overall borrowing rates, it doesn't directly control the mortgage market.Still, investors care about the Fed's future outlook for rate adjustments because it determines their trading strategy and risk assessment. That's why market forces often move in anticipation of the Fed's policy moves.Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates closely track bond yields, specifically 10-year Treasury yields. If the expectation is for unemployment to increase, bond yields and mortgage rates will fall. But if the outcome doesn't match market expectations, yields can quickly swing higher or lower.Mortgage rates are also impacted by geopolitical events, including military conflicts and elections. Political instability can lead to economic uncertainty, which can result in more volatility with bond yields and mortgage rates.Bond market investors would have to be convinced that the economy is cooling for mortgage rates to reverse course. That's why, absent a fresh downshift in the inflation trend or a sudden weakening of labor conditions, mortgage rates will remain close to 7% for a while, said Gumbinger.What is impacting the housing market in 2025?Today's unaffordable housing market results from high mortgage rates, a long-standing housing shortage, expensive home prices and a loss of purchasing power due to inflation. Low housing inventory: A balanced housing market typically has five to six months of supply. Most markets today average around half that amount. According to Freddie Mac, we still have a shortage of around 3.7 million homes. Elevated mortgage rates:In early 2022, mortgage rates hit historic lows of around 3%. As inflation surged and the Fed hiked interest rates to tame it, mortgage rates more than doubled. In 2025, mortgage rates are still high, pricing millions of prospective buyers out of the housing market. Rate-lock effect:Since the majority of homeowners are locked into mortgage rates below 5%, they're reluctant to give up their low mortgage rates and have little incentive to list their homes for sale, leaving a dearth of resale inventory. High home prices:Although home buying demand has been limited in recent years, home prices remain high because of a lack of inventory. The median US home price was $429,963 in November, up 5.4% on an annual basis, according to Redfin. Steep inflation:Inflation means an increase in the cost of basic goods and services, reducing purchasing power. It also impacts mortgage rates: When inflation is high, lenders typically raise interest rates on consumer loans to ensure a profit. Is it better to wait or buy?It's never a good idea to rush intobuying a homewithout knowing what you can afford, so establish a clear home-buying budget. Here's what experts recommend before purchasing a home: Build your credit score. Your credit score will help determine whether you qualify for a mortgage and at what interest rate. A credit score of 740 or higher will help you qualify for a lower rate. Save for a bigger down payment.A larger down payment allows you to take out a smaller mortgage and get a lower interest rate from your lender. If you can afford it, a down payment of at least 20% will also eliminate private mortgage insurance. Shop for mortgage lenders.Comparing loan offers from multiple mortgage lenders can help you negotiate a better rate. Experts recommend getting at least two to three loan estimates from different lenders. Consider renting.Choosing to rent or buy a home isn't just comparing monthly rent to a mortgage payment. Renting offers flexibility and lower upfront costs, but buying allows you to build wealth and have more control over your housing costs. Consider mortgage points.You can get a lower mortgage rate by buying mortgage points, with each point costing 1% of the total loan amount. One mortgage point equals a 0.25% decrease in your mortgage rate.More on today's housing market

Image: Nintendo LifeWelcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl the first of 2025, no less!Last week, we matched up a pair of beauties from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (yep, we were shocked that we hadn't covered it already too), and after a week of voting, the results came back with a clear winner. The classic gold variant from Europe and North America walked away with 66% of the vote and the win, leaving the hand-drawn Japanese design with the remaining 34%.This week, we're speeding off the start line with Crash Nitro Kart. Released in 2003 as the successor to Crash Team Racing, this one saw Crash and co. putting pedal to the metal in an intergalactic arena, smashing through crates and drifting around a decent selection of game modes. Mario Kart it ain't, but we still have some fond memories of the story-focused 'Adventure' mode and the remastered content in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled on Switch slaps.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube790kWatch on YouTube Nitro Kart launched on GameCube and Game Boy Advance on the Nintendo side of things, and both adopted the same three cover designs across the regions (albeit with a different shaped box, naturally). We've opted to show the GameCube version below rectangular format FTW but if you can imagine each of the following in a square configuration, you won't be a million miles away from the GBA design. Its got loads in it (literally)Be sure to cast your votes in the poll below; but first, let's check out the box art designs themselves.EuropeWe'll kick things off with the European variant. This design sees Crash, Neo Cortex and Nitrous Oxide speeding over a checkered flag with the game's flaming logo in the top left corner. It's not the most interesting thing to look at, but it certainly tells you everything you need to know about the game.North AmericaThe North American design uses similar character sprites to the European counterpart, but the trio now race through a desert landscape. There are a couple of tweaks to Crash and his kart, and there's the inclusion of the giant clock in the background, but the change of scenery is the big selling point here.JapanImage: Konami / LaunchboxWell, this is a little more 'graphic design is my passion'. The Japanese design puts Crash and Neo Cortex front and centre, but the models are a little more... shall we say, game-accurate? The giant clock still looms in the background, but we can't seem to steer our gaze away from Crash's cold, dead eyes.Which region got the best Crash Nitro Kart box art? (47 votes)Europe32%North America40%Japan28%Thanks for voting! We'll see you next time for another round of Box Art Brawl.Related GamesSee AlsoShare:01 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesFeature: 15 Best-Looking Switch Games Of 2024Hello, my prettiesPoll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Zelda II: The Adventure Of LinkSecond inningsPoll: Will You Be Getting The New Mario Kart LEGO Sets?Racing into stores this weekFeature: The Best Hidden Gems And Underrated Switch Games Of 2024Some shinies that may have slipped through your fingersBest Of 2024: Splatoon 3's 'Grand Festival' Was The Perfect GoodbyePlease wrap it up

IBM X-Force warns that router passwords must be changed.gettyUpdate, Jan. 5, 2025: This story, originally published Jan. 4, now includes a user guide explaining how to change your router admin credentials from start to finish.Attackers are in the perfect position to compromise networks thanks to supposedly secure devices being protected with default credentials. Thats the takeaway from a new report by threat intelligence experts at IBMs X-Force unit that warned a router reality check is needed after research revealed that 86% of routers are still using the default admin credentials. Heres what you need to know and do.A Router Reality Check Can Protect You From Hack AttacksAs I reported at the time, researchers at Broadband Genie recently revealed that 86% of people had not changed their router admin credentials from the out-of-the-box factory defaults. Ever. Why is this a problem? Well, it means that I likely know what your admin credentials are. By this, I dont mean just admin and password, as you might expect. Any half-savvy hacker knows how easy it is to find specific default credentials for almost any make and model of router. There are even search engines devoted to just this task. But it gets worse. Broadband Genie also reported that 56% of internet users had never re-configured any of the default router settings. None. 89% had never updated the router firmware either. Leaving any newly found vulnerabilities right there as they were in the factory. All of which explains why IBMs X-Force threat intelligence analysts have issued the router reality check warning. Why put the time and effort into creating phishing emails and stealing staff data, Doug Bonderud, writing at the IBM X-Force Security Intelligence blog, said, when supposedly secure devices can be accessed using admin and password as credentials?The Rising Risk Of Router AttackWarning of the rising risk of router attack, Bonderud said that attackers managing to compromise routers can control inbound and outbound network data, introducing risks including the redirection of users to malicious web pages, the ability to execute attacker-in-the-middle data-stealing attacks, distributed denial of service attack exploitation as part of a larger botnet of compromised routers such as the Matrix and the monitoring of user behavior. The nature of router attacks also makes them hard to detect, Bonderund warned, this is because cyber criminals arent forcing their way into routers or taking circuitous routes to evade security defenses.In my last report on the dangers of router credential defaults, Alex Toft, Broadband Genies resident broadband expert, said that leaving the password as the default is the easiest way for someone to gain access to your router, and it represents an open invitation to nefarious characters to snoop around and take whats yours. The point is that this isnt a difficult thing to mitigate because If you choose a suitably strong password, theres absolutely no need to change it again unless you have reason to believe it has been compromised. You can use a password manager to both create such a password and store it securely, so remembering it when you need to use it is not an issue.MORE FOR YOUStep-By-Step: How To Change Your Router Admin CredentialsBefore we get started on this step-by-step guide, please note that we are talking about changing your router admin login credentials rather than your wireless password. The truth of the matter is that its the admin username and password defaults that are most valuable to a would-be attacker.Open the router configuration settings page. There are a number of ways to discover where this is if you dont already know, checking your router manual or online documentation is a good start. You can also take a look at the sticker on the bottom of your router as this often has the default settings address. You can also try typing 92.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 into your web browser. Finally, theres the nuclear nerdy option of typing ipconfig into the Windows command prompt and looking for the router IP address under the default gateway setting.Enter the existing default admin username and password. Do try admin and password, respectively, it might work. Otherwise, you can find the defaults using an online tool such as the Router Passwords search engine. Again, do check your documentation as well.Head for the account management section, often to be found somewhere like Advanced|System Tools|Administration but check the documentation if you are having difficulty.Change your router admin username and password to something unique, save your changes, and you are done.The Router Password search engine is a great resourceRouter Passwords

A 16%-lit waxing crescent moon and Venus tonight in the southwest from Cardiff, Wales, on Jan. 3, ... [+] 2025.Jamie CarterWhat's that bright star in the sky after sunset? Stargazers worldwide have been treated to the first glorious night sky sight of 2025 a panorama of bright planet Venus and a delicate crescent moon.Best viewed on Jan. 3, the duo appeared to be a couple of degrees from each other and dominated the post-sunset night sky in the southwest for a couple of hours before sinking into the horizon. After the sun and the moon, the planet Venus is the brightest astronomical object in the night sky.The close conjunction of Venus and a crescent moon will be visible once more this year: mark your calendars for Saturday, Feb. 1. However, there are plenty of other highlights in the night sky in 2025.The waxing Moon and Venus above Edinburgh Castle. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2025. (Photo by ... [+] Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)PA Images via Getty ImagesVenus is shining brightly as it approaches its closest to Earth next month. However, the delicate crescent moon grabbed the spotlight by displaying "planet-shine" on its dark limb, and sunlight first strikes Earth before being reflected onto the moon.The ethereal sight also called Earthshine, Earthlight and Da Vinci glow (named after Leonardo da Vinci, who described it in the 15th century) can only be seen in the few nights on either side of the new moon when the moon appears in the night sky as a crescent.Read More: The Sun Is X-Flaring And The Northern Lights Are Coming Heres Where And When03 January 2025, Brandenburg, Sieversdorf: The 16 percent visible crescent moon can be seen together ... [+] with Venus (at the top of the image) in the early evening sky. Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa (Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)dpa/picture alliance via Getty ImagesAlthough it works both ways strong moonlight causes shadows at night on Earth planet shine is a consequence of sunlight reflecting off Earth's ice caps, clouds and oceans.Research in 2021 revealed a significant drop in Earths reflectance, or albedo, over the past two decades after a reduction in bright, reflective, low-lying clouds over the eastern Pacific Ocean in recent years. That's exactly where increases in sea surface temperatures have been recorded because of the reversal of a climatic condition called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 3 : Crescent moon is seen together with Venus behind the cross of St. ... [+] Basil's Church in Toronto, Ontario on January 3, 2025. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe moon, just 13%-lit, is beginning its latest orbit around the Earth. The final day of 2024 saw our natural satellite as a rare black moon, the second of two new moons in the same month. A quirk of the calendar, a black moon is a rare but inevitable consequence of a new moon every 29.5 days.Venus, meanwhile shining as a brilliant "Evening Star" will soon cause another sensation. On Saturday, Jan. 18, Venus and Saturn will be in close conjunction, again in the southwest, just after sunset. However, the second planet from the sun will shine far brighter than the sixth.Venus appears in the night sky above a crescent Moon on January 3, 2025 in Qionghai, Hainan Province ... [+] of China. (Photo by Meng Zhongde/VCG via Getty Images)VCG via Getty ImagesVenus is currently coming closer to Earth, which is why it is getting brighter. Venus orbits the sun every 225 days and, in any eight years, appears to orbit the sun 13 times from Earth's point of view.It will reach its brightest in Earth's sky on Feb. 16, but if you have a small telescope, it's worth watching it before that as it shrinks to a crescent something only inner planets appear to do, as seen from Earth.Venus appears beside a crescent moon in the night sky in Kolkata, India, on January 3, 2025. (Photo ... [+] by Debarchan Chatterjee/NurPhoto via Getty Images)NurPhoto via Getty ImagesOn Jan. 11, Venus will reach its dichotomy, when it will be just 50%-illuminated. Between then and March 22, when it sinks into the sun's glare, Venus will gradually shrink to a crescent, just as the moon appears to do. At the end of January, it will be about 40%-lit and just 23%-lit by mid-to-late February, while it's still easy to see in the post-sunset night sky.Shooting stars were visible shortly after the sight of the moon and Venus dissipated. Caused by 2003 EH1, a mystery object that NASA says could be a rock comet, the annual Quadrantid meteor shower peaks with dozens of shooting stars per hour.Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

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This mathematical trick will let you work out the weekday of any dateH. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/AlamyTime comes in cycles, and we deal with it using a cyclic number system. What time is 5 hours after 10pm? Hopefully you would say 3am, not 15pm. You know 10 + 5 isnt 3, but you also know to reset to zero when you hit 12. In mathematical terms, this is called modular arithmetic: we divide 15 by 12 and keep the remainder. We write this as 10 + 5 = 3 modulo 12.Modular arithmetic has many applications, from cryptography to magic tricks. There is

Shoppers spent cautiously during the holiday season.There are some signs that consumers could feel better about spending more in 2025.But tariffs and a dip in consumer confidence paint a more ominous picture for the new year.Shoppers are entering 2025 cautiously after years of escalating prices and amid worries about the impact of potential tariff increases under the incoming Trump administration.The holiday shopping season showed once again that customers are willing to spend but only if the price is right. Shoppers could become less price-conscious as the year goes on, however, if inflation doesn't pick up its pace again."This holiday season, we saw consumers motivated by deals and retailers respond with promotions to meet the demand," Steve Sadove, a senior advisor for Mastercard and former CEO of department store Saks, said as part of the Mastercard SpendingPulse survey.Released the day after Christmas, the survey showed that US retail sales grew 3.8% between November 1 and December 24.Optimism among consumers reached its highest point since before the pandemic in the fourth quarter of 2024, McKinsey's ConsumerWise survey found.The survey also showed that, despite their stated optimism, shoppers were planning to spend the same or less on most products, other than holiday-related categories such as toys, than they did during the third quarter. That indicates an ongoing tough environment for retailers."Consumers may have reported feeling more optimistic in the fourth quarter, but that does not mean they intend to spend more as a result," McKinsey said in the survey.Going into the holidays, Costco members were being "very choiceful about how they're spending the dollars," CFO Gary Millerchip said on an earnings call in December.But Millerchip also pointed to robust spending on optional items, such as jewelry and sporting goods, as holiday shopping ramped up. "It reflects the fact that our members are willing to spend as inflation comes down," Millerchip said.If price increases do continue to slow a tailwind that Goldman Sachs expects will continue in 2025 consumers could feel better about spending more.But there are also signs that things could get worse.Just before Christmas, consumer confidence fell near levels usually associated with an imminent recession as many shoppers worried about their future incomes and the cost of living.Another round of tariffs on imports into the US from the incoming Trump administration could also raise prices for shoppers if manufacturers, retailers, and others pass the costs to consumers.So, even though the Mastercard SpendingPulse survey pointed to a fairly happy holidays for shops and shoppers alike, the new year still looks uncertain for both groups after a tricky 2024.

My husband and I skipped Thanksgiving this year to visit our 7th continent together.Our kids, who've visited 25 countries with us, supported our dream and followed our trip virtually.It was a trip we'll always remember, and we saw unbelievably gorgeous sights.My husband and I just marked a significant milestone by visiting our seventh continent together: Antarctica. During the past 20 years, our mutual love for exploration has taken us to every corner of the globe, but our recent journey to this vast, icy desert feels distinctly different.Once a destination reserved for scientists and the most intrepid travelers, Antarctica has become more accessible in recent years thanks to expedition voyages offered by various companies. We embarked on an extraordinary 11-day adventure to Antarctica with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.Here's what it's like to visit Antarctica and why we're glad we saved the "frozen" continent for last.Each day was an adventureThe flight itinerary included a 24-hour, two-connection route from the US to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. We spent one night at Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa, which has fantastic views of the town and the Beagle Channel.The following morning, we ventured briefly to Tierra del Fuego National Park. In the early evening, we boarded our vessel, ready to set sail on an exciting seven-night voyage.Though Antarctica's harsh conditions left my fingertips frozen daily, setting foot on its pristine, glacial landscapes filled me with an unexpected sense of warmth and wonder. The awe of being immersed in such a stunning setting made every challenge worthwhile.Each day was a thrilling adventure. We boarded zodiac boats to reach remote bays for morning and afternoon excursions, engaging in various activities from serene kayaking to invigorating hikes. Between these outings, we gained a deeper understanding of the continent's unique ecosystem and marine life through expert-led presentations on various topics, including (of course) penguins. We learned that penguins can take up to 10,000 naps per day, each lasting about 4 seconds. The author and her husband saw penguins at Mikkelson Harbor. Photo credit: Taryn White of The Trip Wish List Throughout the trip, we had close encounters with these adorable creatures. We watched them porpoise through the cerulean waters, gracefully leaping in and out with remarkable agility. On land, we watched them waddle and slide on their bellies up and down the "penguin highways" well-worn paths carved by penguins walking the same routes between the ocean and their colonies. The author saw a chinstrap penguin gliding down a "penguin highway." Photo credit: Taryn White of The Trip Wish List When not on an excursion, we made the most of our time aboard the ship. The main lounge was a delightful place to unwind, socialize with fellow travelers, and enjoy incredible views. Although I experienced some queasiness while crossing the infamous Drake Passage, we were fortunate to have traversed the "Drake Lake." Our expedition leader said we were blessed with some of the calmest seas he had ever seen.We also enjoyed meal options like butter confit lobster tail and a special Thanksgiving dinner featuring turkey, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cranberry sauce, and gravy. They had Thanksgiving Dinner on their cruise. Photo credit: Taryn White of The Trip Wish List We saw plenty of beautiful sights, but 5 stood outOne of the highlights of the trip was when the ship parked on a bed of fast ice at Charlotte Bay. We disembarked and walked directly on the ice, observing a small group of penguins. The author and her husband enjoyed their time on the National Geographic Explorer. Photo credit: Taryn White of The Trip Wish List Cierva Cove has jaw-dropping scenery befitting a postcard. There, we marveled at the dynamic interplay between the ocean, icebergs, and floating sea ice.We also kayaked in Chiriguano Bay, a protected inlet on the southern end of Brabant Island in the Palmer Archipelago. Paddling with the backdrop of towering snow-covered mountains was so calming.Portal Point is a stunning, rocky outcrop northeast of the Reclus Peninsula, with dramatic mountain ranges and glacial tongues. It's one of those places you have to see to believe. Deception Island felt different from the other terrain they'd seen. Photo credit: Taryn White of The Trip Wish List And finally, Deception Island's volcanic terrain starkly contrasted the icy landscapes found elsewhere in Antarctica. The island features warm sands and geothermal waters along its coast.It's a trip we'll always rememberAt the end of the cruise, we embarked on a nonstop flight from Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport, located within Chile's Antarctic base on King George Island, to Puerto Natales, Chile. The flight provided a seamless and scenic transition from the frozen wilderness back to the verdant landscapes of the South American mainland. They flew home from King George Island. Photo credit: Taryn White of The Trip Wish List Our trip to Antarctica was undoubtedly our most unforgettable trip to date. The rare privilege of navigating this phenomenal landscape, leaving footprints where few ever will, was a challenging physical journey and a profoundly emotional one, too. It left us with an enduring connection to a world that is both formidable and incomparable in its beauty a place that will forever occupy a special space in our hearts.

A sizable uptick in home inventory has brought down prices, giving buyers leverage.Fierce bidding wars that were common during the pandemic may be over for now.Here are 14 top US cities for buyers as 2025 begins, according to Realtor.com.A slow year in the US housing market ended on a high note for buyers, and they might have even more luck landing new homes in the new year.Property prices slid again in December in a less competitive market with steadily rising supply, according to Realtor.com's final housing market reportfor 2024, whichwas releasedin early January. Home prices are trending lower on a monthly basis and are also cheaper than last year, as shown by the brown and pink lines. Realtor.com Median single-family home prices were 1.8% lower last month than the year prior at a going rate of $402,502, the firm found. The median price per square foot did rise by 1.3% year-over-year, though researchers said that was largely because buyers targeted smaller, cheaper houses. Realtor.com Those declines stem from a long-awaited surge in home supply. Property listings were up for the 14th month and by 22% over last December. The number of unsold houses, including those under contract, also jumped for the 12th consecutive month and by 17.5% from 2023. Realtor.com Supply has risen, but not everything is rosyBut while buyers got the lower prices they'd hoped for, many still didn't sign on the bottom line.December was the quietest month on the housing front in nearly two years. The typical home was on sale for 70 days, compared to 62 days in November and 61 days in late 2023. Realtor.com The slump coincided with a recent surge in mortgage rates, which just reached levels not seen since July. Higher borrowing costs are a major barrier for many buyers, and they've also deterred would-be sellers who are reluctant to trade in inexpensive mortgages for costlier ones. And when lofty mortgage rates cap what buyers can spend, sellers are stuck with weaker offers. Freddie Mac "With higher rates taking a bite out of homebuying power, fewer new sellers are coming to the market this winter compared with this past fall," Realtor.com's Ralph McLaughlin wrote in the January 2 report.That's not to say there's a sales drought, as pending listings were 7.4% higher last month than a year earlier. Still, homes under contract had risen 14.7% in November before the latest spike in mortgage rates, which suggests that losses in home affordability are hurting the market.While rates are a headwind, Realtor.com's economists are still calling for sales growth this year. However, the firm's forecast is for 1.5% growth, which is far less than optimists have predicted."Though rates are significantly higher today than they were just a few months ago, our 2025 forecast shows that as both lower rates and time chisel away at the 'lock-in' effect that has held back sales this year, we should expect home sales to rise modestly by 1.5% in 2025," McLaughlin wrote.14 cities that favor buyersThose who made buying a house a New Year's resolution might not have as much trouble as they would have a year or two ago, though they'll still need to look in the right places.Home inventory increased last month across all four US regions and in all but one of the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas, but there were still massive discrepancies. For example, the South and West saw supply rise by roughly 25% versus about 7% in the Northeast. Realtor.com Since buyers have more options, there isn't as much pressure on them to bite on deals. In turn, homes were for sale for longer in 92% of major markets last month. That stalemate drove 12.9% of sellers to cut their asking prices, which was slightly higher than the 12.7% in December 2023.To help buyers secure deals, Business Insider reviewed Realtor.com's latest housing data and found 14 large US metro areas that had lower prices and listing growth of at least 10%. Below are those cities and their median listing price, price growth on an overall and per-square-foot basis, active listing growth, share of homes with reduced prices, and the growth in that metric.