2025 may bring more homes but with familiar high prices.

Why it matters: Many people will remain locked out of homeownership. 

Here's what experts and industry pros predict is in store for mortgage rates, new builds, moves and more next year.

Rates will remain above 6%

U.S. mortgage rates are expected to be in the low- to mid-6% range at the end of 2025, according to Realtor.com chief economist Danielle Hale.

• Redfin's economists forecast rates to stay higher, near 7%.

Between the lines: "We're not going to see a big change in the affordability picture," Hale tells Axios.

• "It's still going to be challenging to get into the housing market," especially for first-time buyers, she says.

Lower mortgage rates "could even exacerbate" the country's housing crunch, Josh Altman, real estate agent and former cast member of "Million Dollar Listing L.A.," tells Axios.

• That's because "as mortgages become more affordable, more buyers are going to enter the market, creating greater competition and ultimately higher home prices," says Altman, who's also co-founder of Redy, a platform for home sellers and agents.

More new homes

Chief economist Lawrence Yun at the National Association of Realtors expects more single-family new builds.

• "There is still a housing shortage, and homebuilders are making good profits to continue expansion," he says.

Fewer "locked-in" homeowners

The mortgage "lock-in" effect, which has contributed to the housing market's woes by discouraging homeowners from moving, won't disappear next year — but it will lessen, Hale says.

By the numbers: In mid-2024, 84% of homeowners with a mortgage had a rate under 6%, down from 89% a year earlier, per a Realtor.com analysis.

• Hale expects that share to fall to 75% by the end of 2025, as more people part with their current home loan.

Zoom in: Raleigh will see a 2.2% growth in home sales, while the Durham-Chapel Hill area will see a 14.1% increase, Realtor.com predicts.

• Raleigh and the Durham-Chapel Hill area will also see 9% and 10.1% price increases, respectively, according to Realtor.com's projections.

What else experts predict

The average rate on the 30-year mortgage was around 6.7% heading into the holidays, according to Freddie Mac.

The big picture: That's up from around 6% when the Federal Reserve cut interest rates in September.

• The central bank has continued to lower rates while signaling fewer cuts are coming in 2025.

The bottom line: Mortgage rates hovered mostly between 6% and 7% this year.

Go deeper: Why mortgage rates are climbing

If you can't afford a house in your city, what about an investment property somewhere else?

Why it matters: Some people are becoming homeowners while continuing to live in their rental apartments.

How it works: That approach can make sense for renters with extra cash who want to remain in a costly area and start building equity, according to Realtor.com's Hale.

• They could "look for a less-expensive market where their savings might be able to translate into a nice down payment," Hale told CNBC.

Dubbed "rentvesting," the strategy often involves taking on landlord responsibility from afar.

What they're saying

If home improvement projects are on your 2025 to-do list, here are some expert tips to help make achieving your goals a little easier. 

💸 Goal: Improve home value

Pro tip: Spring for a kitchen remodel, which can help sell your home down the line. 

• A good rule of thumb is to budget 15% of your home's value for the renovation. 

🎨 Goal: Low-lift, high-impact change

Pro tip: Paint your walls with saturated jewel tones or soothing nature-inspired hues, if that's your vibe. 

• If you're up for pattern play, try a wallpaper border or cover your bookshelves in personality-packed peel-and-stick.

🪴 Goal: Grow your own food

Pro tip: Start with a small herb garden before diving into homesteading.

• Herbs grow well in most climates and can even grow in a pot indoors.

🧹 Goal: Clear clutter

Pro tip: Put the credit card down (no fancy containers needed) and block out time to make cleaning a priority. Happiness researcher Gretchen Rubin calls it a "loose ends day." 

• You'll feel much better after you purge your closet or recycle those empty Amazon boxes.

☕️ Goal: Add daily luxury

Pro tip: Upgrade your coffee routine. Custom beverage stations are a coveted home feature, according to design pros.

Share with a homeowner

📣 Gov. Josh Stein announced five executive orders to increase temporary housing and expedite bridge and road repairs in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

• Stein also created a new recovery office: The Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC).

The suspect in the deadly New Orleans terrorist attack on New Year's Day spent time at Fort Liberty and pleaded guilty to DWI charges in North Carolina in 2015. (WRAL)

🚙 Mobile driver's licenses are coming to North Carolina this summer. (WBTV)

🥶 An Arctic blast tied to a polar vortex will put much of the country into a deep freeze beginning this week. (Axios)

• Before this event ends, residents of at least 30 states, including North Carolina, will have been affected. Millions will see increased heating bills as natural gas prices spike, and some could be affected by rolling blackouts during the coldest periods, Axios' Andrew Freedman writes.

Wake County Animal Shelter is offering decreased adoption fees through Jan. 17, as the shelter is operating at capacity. (WRAL)

• The shelter's longest resident is Kino, an American Staffordshire Terrier, who has been there for 232 days. Kino, along with other animals who have been at the shelter for more than two weeks, can be adopted for free.