News

A long-standing pathway to building wealth in the United States has been homeownership. Right after World War II, Congress passed what’s commonly known as the G.I. Bill in an effort to avoid a postwar return to mass unemployment.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (December 8, 2025) – Data for the month of November showed 2,412 home closings, according to figures provided by Greater Nashville REALTORS®. This figure indicates a 6 percent decrease from the 2,567 closings reported for the same period last year.

In January of this year, I began my one-year term serving as the president of Greater Nashville REALTORS®, a title I’ve gained immense pride from over the course of 2025. Just a few weeks ago, I attended my final event as president of this world-class association, which serves more than 6,800 Realtors across Middle Tennessee, at our annual Member Luncheon and Board of Directors Installation.

As we end this fall season post-Thanksgiving, it’s a good time to pause with grateful hearts. We’re blessed to live in a country where—despite our challenges—we enjoy freedoms, opportunities, and the ability to build a life rooted deeply in the place we call home. For many families, including our veterans and active-duty service members, that dream of homeownership is one of the greatest blessings of all.

Throughout the year, I’ve shared concerns about housing affordability in Nashville and beyond. For many residents, buying a home feels out of reach, and that reality is not getting any closer as home prices continue to rise and interest rates remain above six percent.

The 2025 housing market can largely be summed up in one word: expensive. For many Middle Tennessee residents and people across the country, especially younger Americans, homeownership is slipping further out of reach.

As a twenty-something Realtor in Middle Tennessee, few headlines have hit me quite like the recent report naming 40 as the new average age of a first-time homebuyer. It’s a statistic that stopped nearly everyone in our industry in their tracks, but for those of us on the ground, it only confirms the reality we've been living in since post-COVID.

Access to affordable housing is a cornerstone of a strong and successful community. It affects nearly every part of our economy, from how businesses recruit and retain workers to the overall quality of life for residents.