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MortgagePoint » Your Trusted Source for Mortgage Banking and Servicing News 68 December 2025 J O U R N A L fertility rate decline between the 2000s and 2010s, and 7 percentage points fewer young families in the 2010s." "This analysis concludes that the supply of housing suitable for families can meaningfully contribute to demo- graphic sustainability," Couillard said. According to Couillard, high rents lower fertility by forcing people into housing arrangements that are less conducive to raising children, such as sharing a home with friends or relatives, as well as by directly raising the cost of having children. According to the analysis, family formation is postponed, household ar- rangements change, and overall fertility decreases as housing costs rise. Data analysis and intricate simula- tion are two components of Couillard's methodology. He created a model that simulates how people decide where to live and when to have children by analyzing real-world data, specifically from the U.S. Census Bureau, to see how fertility varies when rents rise in various neighborhoods. He then tested "what if " scenarios using this model, such as what would happen to birth rates if more large homes were available or if housing were more affordable. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rents increased by an estimated 149% nationwide between 1990 and 2020—more than the cumula- tive inflation rate of 103% over that time. Numbers Shift as Housing Industry Remains Volatile In 1990, the fertility rate was 2.08. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it fell to 1.64 in 2020 and to a record low of 1.599 last year. "I conclude that rising housing costs are a major cause of declining fertility. … If housing is to be a lever in family policy, the focus must be on producing the housing that families actually want," Couillard said. As the population ages and the labor force declines, the controversy over the birth rate in the United States will probably get more heated, according to the report. The majority of experts Newsweek spoke with concur that there isn't a single reason or way to stop the birth rate fall, and many of them sup- port economic changes that would make it simpler for people to become parents. "While it's not surprising that high rents and housing costs curb fertility, it's very difficult to 'prove' it in the data," said Jake Krimmel, Senior Economist at Realtor.com, in his review of the study. "Not only that, but the causal link needs to be quantified, so we know exactly how important the housing cost channel is relative to, say, the rising cost of childcare or other economic and demographic shifts." In conclusion, Margaret Anne McConnell, a Professor of Global Health Economics at Harvard, and other scholars emphasized that there is good news concealed in the falling birth rate since it signifies certain favorable cultural trends, such as increased reproductive choice. HOMEBUYER REGRET FALLS SHARPLY AS MARKET SLOWDOWN BOOSTS CONFIDENCE A ccording to research from Real- tor.com, one of the most prev- alent causes of post-purchase regret among American homebuyers— believing they paid too much for their house—has drastically decreased, going from 15% in 2023 to just 8% in 2025. The decrease demonstrates how consumers are making more thoughtful decisions in the slower, more expensive housing market of today and enjoying the advan- tages of more assured decision-making. Nearly four out of 10 recent buyers (37%) said they had no regrets about their home purchase in 2025, up six percentage points from 31% in 2023, according to the Realtor.com 2025 Consumer Attitudes & Usage Study. The slower pace has allowed purchasers more time to consider their options, with properties remaining on the mar- ket for a median of 63 days in October 2025—nearly two weeks (13 days) longer than in October 2023. "As the market has shifted from a fast-paced sellers' market to one that gives buyers more breathing room, we're seeing buyer regret trend down," said Laura Eddy, VP of Research and Insights at Realtor.com "Today's buyers are gen- erally more qualified, taking extra time to weigh their options and make confi- dent decisions—factors that are helping reduce second-guessing after purchase. And for many, that means having even more to feel thankful for this season." Unexpected home upkeep (16%), higher-than-expected household expenses (15%), and depleted savings accounts (14%) were the most frequent issues among those who did have post-purchase regrets. U.S. Buyer Regret Sees Generational Divide While younger homebuyers con- tinue to overcome new obstacles, such as financial hurdles when purchasing, older consumers are a bit more self-as- sured. The report showed that age-re- lated differences in regret demonstrated how life stage and experience affect the satisfaction of purchasing a home. While younger customers—especially first-timers—were more likely to expe- rience surprises, older consumers were the most confident during the process. • Boomers: 60% reported no regrets at all, citing only minor concerns like home maintenance or high- er-than-expected household costs. • Gen X: 45% reported no regrets, with top issues echoing boomers—main- tenance and budget strain. • Millennials: Just over one-third (34%) had no regrets. Their biggest challenges were emptying savings (surprisingly, the highest among all generations), higher maintenance costs, and unexpected household expenses.