First Federal Bank Blog

There’s a lot of conversation about home prices, mortgage rates, and affordability right now – and those things are important. But if you’re thinking about buying a home, it’s worth remembering something the headlines rarely talk about: people don’t buy homes just for financial reasons. They buy them for their lives.

One of the biggest homebuying advantages you could give yourself today is surprisingly simple: a flexible wish list.

Renting can feel much less expensive and much simpler than buying a home, especially right now. No repairs, no property taxes, no worrying about mortgage rates – you just pay the bill and move on with your life.

When the holidays roll around, travel plans, family gatherings, and all the chaos of the season may make you think it’s better to pull your listing off the market or to wait until 2026 to sell your house. But here’s the thing.

If you’ve served in the military (or if your spouse has), you have access to one of the key home financing options available to eligible service members and veterans. The chance to buy a home with the possibility of no down payment.

If you’ve seen headlines about home prices dropping, it’s easy to wonder what that means for the value of your home too. Here’s what you really need to know.

If there was one step that could help make your home sale smoother, wouldn't you want to know about it?

You’ve got big plans for 2026. But what you dothis yearcould be the difference between a smooth sale and a stressful one. If you’re thinking of selling next spring (the busiest season in real estate), the smartest move you can make is to start prepping now. As Realtor.com says:

After a couple of years where the housing market felt stuck in neutral, 2026 may be the year things shift back into gear. Expert forecasts show more people are expected to move – and that could open the door for you to do the same.