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Best 12-Month CD Rates for March 18, 2026: Up to 4.15%

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Best 12-Month CD Rates for March 18, 2026: Up to 4.15%


Certificates of deposit (CDs) remain one of the most reliable short-term savings tools, especially for those seeking guaranteed returns as rates fall. As of March 18, 2026, the best 12-month CD rates reach up to 4.15% APY (annual percentage yield), with many banks and credit unions still offering yields far above the national average of 1.52%, according to the FDIC. 

Over the last several weeks, many banks and credit unions have been raising their 12-month CD rate.

Now might be the best time to lock in a guaranteed rate. If you’re looking to earn a predictable return over the next year, these are the best CD rates available today.

💰 Today’s Best 12-Month CD Rates At a Glance

Here are the best bank and credit union savings accounts rates today:

Bank or Credit Union

Top APY

Minimum Deposit

Credit One Bank

4.15%

$100,000

Bank of Utah

3.85%

$1,000

Live Oak Bank

3.80%

$2,500

Navy Federal Credit Union

3.80%

$1,000

Alliant Credit Union

3.80%

$1,000

1. Credit One Bank – Credit One Bank is offering a jumbo CD at 4.15% APY, but it does require a $100,000 minimum deposit to open.

2. Bank of Utah – Bank of Utah is currently offering a 12-month CD at 3.85% APY with just a $1,000 minimum deposit.

3. Live Oak Bank – Live Oak Bank is currently offering a 12-month CD at 3.80% APY with a $2,500 minimum to open. Read more about Live Oak Bank here.

4. Navy Federal Credit Union – Navy Federal CU is currently offering a regular 12-month share certificate with just a $1,000 minimum at 3.75% APY. If you have $100,000, you can get the jumbo share certificate for 3.80% APY. Read our full Navy Federal Credit Union review here.

5. Alliant Credit Union – Alliant Credit Union offers short term and long term CDs with competitive APYs. Right now you can get 3.75% APY on a 12-month CD option! And you can even earn up to 3.80% APY on a Jumbo CD. Read our full Alliant Credit Union Review.

You can find a full list of the best 12-month CDs here >>

How 12-Month CDs Work

A 12-month certificate of deposit pays a fixed interest rate for one year in exchange for keeping your money on deposit until maturity. If you withdraw early, the bank charges a penalty – typically 90 days of interest.

CDs appeal to savers who prefer guaranteed, short-term returns. While high-yield savings accounts offer flexibility, CDs can secure a higher fixed return for a set period, which can be helpful if rates are expected to decline.

For example, a $25,000 CD at 4.00% APY would earn roughly $1,000 in one year, compared with about $387 based on today’s national average 12-month CD rate.

What To Know Before Opening A CD

Certificates of deposit operate differently than savings accounts. Make sure you understand what you’re getting:

  • Short-Term Goals: Ideal for saving toward tuition, a wedding, or a home down payment within a year.
  • Rate Protection: A CD locks your APY, so you’re insulated from rate cuts.
  • Ladder Strategy: Pair a 12-month CD with longer terms (24- or 36-month) to capture higher rates while maintaining liquidity.
  • Safety:
    FDIC or NCUA insurance protects up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution.

Before opening an account, make sure you understand all the terms:

  • Minimum Deposit: Some banks require $1,000 or more to open.
  • Withdrawal Terms: Review penalties before committing funds.
  • Renewal Policy: Many CDs automatically renew at maturity unless you opt out.
  • Rate Guarantees: Confirm whether your rate is locked at the time of application or funding.
  • Online Access: Ensure the bank allows easy transfers and e-statements.

More CD Options

Check out the table below for more CD options:

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How We Track And Verify Rates

At The College Investor, our editorial team reviews CD rates daily from more than 30 banks and credit unions nationwide. We confirm every APY directly from official rate disclosures and regulatory filings.

Only FDIC- or NCUA-insured institutions available to U.S. consumers are included.

Our rankings are editorially independent – compensation does not influence placement. While we may earn a referral fee when you open an account through some links, our reviews and recommendations are based solely on yield, accessibility, and overall customer experience.

FAQs

Are 12-month CDs safe?

Yes. CDs are federally insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution.

Can I withdraw my money early?

Yes, but you’ll forfeit some interest, typically three months’ worth.

Are CD earnings taxable?

Yes. Interest earned is subject to federal income tax, and in some states, state tax.

What happens when a CD matures?

You’ll usually have a 7- to 10-day grace period to withdraw or renew your funds.

Is now a good time to open a CD?

Rates remain near their cycle highs, so locking in a short-term CD can make sense before potential cuts.

Editor: Colin Graves

Reviewed by: Richelle Hawley

The post Best 12-Month CD Rates for March 18, 2026: Up to 4.15% appeared first on The College Investor.

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins Comments On Regulation Of Crypto As Commission Moves On Updated Rules

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SEC Chairman Paul Atkins Comments On Regulation Of Crypto As Commission Moves On Updated Rules


When crypto first hit the scene, global regulators were caught like deer in the headlights, confused and uncertain how to manage digital assets. Rules were effectively drawn from laws enacted before the internet was a dream, and in the US, the touchstone, the Howey Test on securities, provided a confusing path to regulation.

Where the first Trump Administration struggled to adapt (but made an effort), the Biden Administration took a more detrimental approach by deeming all crypto bad, toying with innovators, telling them to come in and discuss, while asking them to register (which they couldn’t do), presenting an SEC as a dystopian regulatory debacle that can only be described as incompetent.

Today, during Trump Part 2, things are different: the SEC is tackling a tall challenge but embracing the project, understanding that digital assets are the future. While Congress has failed to pass a law, the CLARITY Act (crypto market infrastructure legislation) to provide regulatory coherence, the SEC is marching forward, conducting public meetings, asking for feedback, and providing guidance that, in the end, will emerge as the most significant change to securities law since the 33 Act. It will also provide guidance to the rest of the world.

This week, the SEC published guidance on crypto assets.

“After more than a decade of uncertainty, this interpretation will provide market participants with a clear understanding of how the Commission treats crypto assets,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins.

Addressing the DC Blockchain Summit, Atkins declared that after the “SEC’s persistent failure to provide clarity,” they are implementing a token taxonomy and investment contract interpretation.

The Chairman explained that they established four asset categories that are not deemed securities: digital commodities, digital collectibles, digital tools, and payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act.

“We are not the Securities and Everything Commission,” stated Atkins as he highlighted that their mission is to regulate securities.


We are not the Securities and Everything Commission, stated Atkins

Click to Share

While Congress continues to dither, Atkins said that future proofing digital assets from another rogue regime requires legislation.

“I strongly support the ongoing bipartisan efforts on Capitol Hill to establish a durable framework for these markets.”

The Chairman Atkin’s vision for “Regulation Crypto Assets”  was shared as follows:

  • A fit-for-purpose “startup exemption,” which would be a time-limited registration exemption for offerings of investment contracts involving certain crypto assets.
  • The Commission could consider a “fundraising exemption,” a new offering exemption for investment contracts involving certain crypto assets. Entrepreneurs could raise up to a defined amount while providing principles based disclosure.
  • The Commission to consider an “investment contract safe harbor” from the definition of “security” for certain crypto assets. This safe harbor could apply once the issuer has completed or otherwise permanently ceased all essential managerial efforts that it represented or promised to engage in under the investment contract.

As many questions remain about crypto assets, which can have diverse characteristics, Chairman Atkins stated on CNBC today that they will provide various examples to help issuers and lawyers pursue offerings with certainty.

A digital asset sandbox is in the queue as well.

Atkins tipped his hat to Commissioner Hester Peirce, the trailblazer in regard to championing clarity on digital assets and the leader of the SEC Crypto Task Force. “We would not be here today but for your efforts,” stated Atkins. Peirce proposed a safe harbor for crypto years ago.

 

A public release of the Commission’s proposal is forthcoming and will seek comments from interested parties.

While the path to digital asset regulation has been too long and excessively difficult, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Crypto innovation is growing in the US and, as the Administration desires, the US is on a path to lead the world in the future of finance.

 



Refinance boom stalls as rate shock jolts mortgage market into retreat

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Purchase applications edged up roughly 1% and stood about 12% higher than the same week in 2025.

“Mortgage rates continued to move higher, driven by increasing Treasury yields as the conflict in the Middle East kept oil prices elevated, along with the risk of a broader inflationary shock. Mortgage rates increased across the board, with the 30‑year fixed rate rising to 6.30 percent, the highest rate since December 2025,” said Joel Kan, MBA vice president and deputy chief economist.

“Rates were around 20 basis points higher than they were two weeks ago and this caused a reversal in refinance activity, particularly for conventional refinance applications, which decreased 27 percent over the week. Government refinances also declined but by 5 percent, as FHA rates have not increased quite as rapidly.”

Refinance share narrows as rates spike

The refinance share of activity fell to 52.3% of total applications from 57.8% the prior week, while adjustable‑rate mortgages accounted for 8% of volume.

Kan said purchase demand proved more stable: “Purchase applications remained steady despite the higher rates, with conventional purchase applications unchanged and growth in both FHA and VA segments. Overall purchase applications remained ahead of last year’s pace, supported by higher inventory and slowing home‑price growth in many markets.”

The world’s EVs were already replacing 70% of Iran’s oil exports. The war just made that matter

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The world’s EVs were already replacing 70% of Iran’s oil exports. The war just made that matter



The war in Iran has already transformed the world’s energy map. It might yet redraw America’s auto market.

Now in its third week, the U.S. and Israeli military campaign in Iran has escalated to involve targets across the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf that serves as the world’s most critical fossil fuel chokepoint. The war has effectively closed the oil tanker traffic that used to navigate the strait, which on a normal day carries up to 20% of the world’s traded petroleum.

Fuel costs worldwide have soared as a result. Average gas prices in the U.S. are now $3.79 a gallon, up from $2.92 a month ago, reminding drivers of the 2022 energy shortage and even of the devastating oil shocks of the 1970s.

But unlike during those crises, the world now possesses a massive, rapidly scaling, and for the most part readily available asset to soften the blow: the electric vehicle.

The global EV fleet has been growing for years, gradually chipping away at the world’s oil consumption as drivers turn to charging ports instead of gas stations. Last year, EVs worldwide avoided the consumption of 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, according to a report published Wednesday by Ember, an independent energy think tank based in the U.K. That’s roughly 70% of the 2.4 million barrels Iran exported daily through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025.

While the crisis has sent global oil prices soaring, the declining need for petroleum in transportation is providing a critical cushion in some countries. And the longer fuel prices remain elevated, the more attractive EVs become to buyers.

“Oil is a particularly tricky resource to replace,” Daan Walter, a researcher at Ember and the report’s lead author, told Fortune. “It has been for 125 years now, except for the past five or six years, when we’ve had this new competitive lever in electric vehicles.”

Electrifying demand

In the U.S., EV purchases hit a wall over the past few months as President Donald Trump rescinded many of the subsidies and incentives the Biden administration had installed to facilitate the transport sector’s electrification. Those measures mostly expired in September, and EV sales for the year ended up falling by 2%.

But the Iran conflict has sparked a revival of consumer interest. Search traffic for EVs during the first week of the conflict jumped 20%, according to CarEdge, a car shopping platform, with interest in popular models like the Tesla Model Y and Chevrolet Equinox nearly doubling.

For now, the conflict in Iran and higher gasoline prices are likely to only influence drivers who were already in the market for a new car, Elaine Buckberg, a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Salata Center for Climate and Sustainability and a former chief economist for General Motors, told Fortune.

But that could change if prices stay high for much longer. “Gasoline prices are one of the biggest elements of people’s perception of inflation because you buy it so regularly,” Buckberg said. “It takes three to six months of persistently higher prices before people say, ‘Maybe I should go out and switch cars to one that’s more fuel efficient, including an EV.’”

EV drivers outside the U.S. already know how much they might be able to save. In the U.K., EV drivers saved an average of £870 ($1,162) a year by charging their cars instead of fueling up, according to an analysis published last week by the nonprofit Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit. But if oil prices remain above $100 a barrel, as they have for most of the conflict, those annual savings could jump to £1,000 ($1,336).

In the U.S., the costs of owning and charging an EV depend on several factors, including local electricity prices and whether drivers can charge their cars at home. And for now, buying an electric car tends to be more expensive than buying a gas-powered one, although prices are falling due to greater competition and more choices of lower-priced models.

But EV drivers are likely to be rewarded over the course of their car’s lifetime—the New York Times found last year that driving 100 miles in a home-charged EV costs on average a little more than $5, while the same distance in a standard gas-powered car costs on average $12.80.

Nowhere to hide

The Trump administration has framed the pain Americans are feeling at the pump as a short-term problem, and claimed that the U.S. is insulated from the oil crisis because it is a large producer in its own right. But being a net exporter of oil does little to shield the U.S. from volatility, according to Ember’s Walter.

“In some ways, no one is safe,” he said. “Even if you live between a gas well and a refinery, even then your prices are going up.”

Oil is a global commodity, and unless a government enacts export bans, a barrel of oil produced in the U.S. will go to whoever pays the most wherever they are, Walter said. That means American consumers remain tethered to the same price volatility as the rest of the world, regardless of how much crude is pumped from U.S. soil. In Texas, for example, one of the world’s largest oil-exporting regions, gasoline prices have risen 25% since the war began, faster than in oil-importing nations like the U.K. and France during the same period, Walter said.

Because volatile gasoline prices have such a significant bearing on consumer sentiment, experts have long argued that transportation reliant on locally generated electricity can be an economic and political hedge.

“A shift towards EV basically would protect the economy from downside,” Buckberg said. “That link from oil geopolitics to oil prices to gasoline prices could be broken.”

The last time a global geopolitical shock sparked an energy crisis was in 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent global oil and gas markets into a frenzy. A lot has changed since then to make EVs a more palatable option as gasoline prices rise, Buckberg said. For one, the world is no longer limited by a microchip shortage that strained EV manufacturing in the early 2020s. 

But electric and hybrid vehicles have also become more affordable and accessible to a wider variety of consumers, particularly in emerging markets in East and Southeast Asia, according to previous Ember research. In China, the world’s biggest EV market, the country’s existing electric car fleet accounts for more than $28 billion a year in avoided oil imports, Ember’s latest report found.

“We’re no longer living in a world of risk-free fossil fuels. We’re living in a world where everything is risky and it now becomes a question of which risks do you want to take,” Walter said. 

Recession odds hit 49% for next 12 months says Moody’s Mark Zandi

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Recession odds hit 49% for next 12 months says Moody’s Mark Zandi


With alarming headlines coming out of the Middle East, economists will be wary of sharing forecasts that might unnecessarily spook consumers or investors. Nonetheless, while Wall Street has remained calm(ish) about the disruption to global oil and energy supplies, Moody’s Mark Zandi warns that the longer-term macroeconomic picture has taken a turn for the worse.

Zandi shared that, even prior to the U.S. and Israel launching strikes on Iran, recession odds for the economy had crept up to an alarming threshold. The latest reading on Moody’s economic indicator model—for February, prior to the military action—placed odds of a recession at 49% over the next 12 months.

“Behind the recent jump are primarily the weak labor market numbers, but almost all the economic data have turned soft since the end of last year,” Zandi wrote in a note. Indeed, an image Zandi shared of the Moody’s recession indicator shows that historically, it has been fairly accurate. The indicator spiked above a benchmark of 50 in 2020, in 2007, and 2001—all of which were followed by recessions as defined by the Federal Bank of St Louis.

“It isn’t a stretch to expect the indicator to cross the key 50% threshold amid the Iranian conflict and the resulting surge in oil prices,” Zandi continued. “Oil prices are an important variable in the model, and with good reason: every recession since WWII, save the pandemic recession, has been preceded by a spike in oil prices.”

Moody’s recession call is higher compared to many on Wall Street, where most estimates say the likelihood is growing but is perhaps not in 50/50 territory. Indeed, Oxford Economics’s modelling suggests that oil prices would have to hit $140 a barrel over a two-month period to plunge the world economy into a recession. The strength of the subsequent recovery following a resolution of conflict in the Middle East depends on how quickly shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is normalised.

“The rebound in financial markets has been quick following past major military conflicts in the Middle East since the 1990s, but this time it could be more gradual,” noted Ben May, director of global macro research at Oxford Economics, and Ryan Sweet, chief global economist.

Zandi agrees with the premise, saying higher oil prices won’t level the same amount of economic damage as years prior because production and consumption are better aligned, but added consumers will suffer a significant uptick in the cost of living when they “were already increasingly nervous spenders.”

The Moody’s chief economist said his peers “will be loath to utter the word ‘recession,’” despite evidence to support such a statement, because many were proven wrong when they called a downturn calls over Fed policy a couple of years ago. But Zandi added: “If oil prices remain elevated for much longer (weeks and not months), a recession will be difficult to avoid.”

Happier odds

Some investors feel significantly more optimistic about the probability of a recession. Indeed, while economists generally go by the rule that a recession might happen once every five years, if not more frequently, Apollo Investment’s chief economist Torsten Slok suggests economic downturns are becoming less frequent.

“Between recessions, investors should prepare for sector-specific cycles, such as the current downturn in software, where one or two subsectors face distress while the rest of the economy is fine,” Slok wrote in a note published yesterday. “The bottom line is that credit opportunities arise not just during recessions, but also when there are sector-specific cycles during expansions.”

Oxford Economics’ latest Global Risk Survey is similarly more buoyant. The survey, conducted between February 26 and March 11, found there had been a sharp downturn of expectations since the outbreak of the conflict. However, odds of a global recession still stand at a 1-in-6 chance.

The war has driven scepticism over the prospects of the U.S. economy, Oxford notes. Prior to the military action, three-quarters of respondents felt the recent period of U.S. exceptionalism would continue, but that figure fell significantly as the conflict continued, with little more than half the 174 clients surveyed now expecting the U.S. to remain the fastest-growing G7 economy this year.

Indeed, Wall Street is more widely inclined to agree with lower recession odds. David Mericle of Goldman Sachs wrote this week that the bank’s outlook odds had increased, up by 5 percentage points to 25%, while JP Morgan predicted at the end of last year that the likelihood of a 2026 recession was 35%.

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.

Masters of Business Administration MBA – Course Modules – University of Nottingham

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Masters of Business Administration MBA – Course Modules – University of Nottingham



#studyabroad #Universityofnottingham #studyinuk #Masters #MBA #mastersofbusinessadministration #businessadministration #Coursemodules #Nottingham #UK #UKlife #Indianstudents

Stay updated with the latest news and university updates, please follow us on the To know more about courses for International Students at the University of Nottingham

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We all know that MBA provides an excellent platform for career enhancement, career change, or entrepreneurial activities for several years. In addition, this MBA program introduced by the University of Nottingham also helps the students to build on their management skills and experience which eventually boosts up the global career prospects and earning potential of the students. It’s a good decision to make a career in this field because the business and leadership skills improvise the decision-making abilities of the students which shape them into successful future leaders.

Want to know what more Business Administration MBA holds for upgrading the professional career?

If Yes, then contact us now and we’ll get you in touch with the university delegates who will brief you about all the components included in this program which would include everything from course modules, fees to scholarships in one go!

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The Georgian, a Santa Monica Landmark, Joins The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

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The Georgian, a Santa Monica Landmark, Joins The Unbound Collection by Hyatt


The Georgian Joins The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Hyatt today announced that The Georgian, a storied oceanfront hotel on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, has joined The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.

Perched along the Pacific with its striking façade, The Georgian has been part of Santa Monica’s shoreline story since the 1930s. Following a careful restoration completed in 2023 by owner and operator JB Hotel Group, The Georgian re-emerged as a striking piece of Santa Monica culture. The landmark’s turquoise frontage was meticulously restored to its original hue, art deco plasterwork and moldings were revived, and historic detailing throughout the public spaces was preserved and reinterpreted with restraint. Landscaped terraces and refreshed coastal plantings now frame the ocean-facing outlook.

Check out more images and details below, as shared in Hyatt’s press release.

Rooms & Suites

The Georgian offers 84 guest rooms, including 28 suites, many framed by uninterrupted views of the Pacific. Inside, the spirit of the 1930s lingers in the detailing through curved lines, layered textures and soft coastal light, yet the experience is unmistakably contemporary. In West-facing suites, panoramic ocean vistas stretch from sunrise to dusk, offering guests a front-row seat to Santa Monica’s shifting skies and the gentle setting of Ocean Avenue below.

Dining and Drinks

Dining at The Georgian revives the hotel’s tradition as a social anchor — a place where locals and visitors gather as naturally for morning coffee as for late-evening conversation. The signature restaurant celebrates seasonal Californian produce in an art deco setting; an intimate bar nods to the hotel’s Hollywood-era past with classic cocktails and late-evening energy; and a relaxed café space spills toward Ocean Avenue, inviting both guests and locals from morning through sunset.

The convivial energy throughout the hotel feels both polished and unpretentious — less about spectacle and more about atmosphere: the glow of sunset through the windows, a well-made cocktail and the quiet sense that you are exactly where you should be.

Bookings

For reservations, please contact reservation@thegeorgian.com or book directly at www.thegeorgian.com.

Room rates from $700 per room per night. This is a Category 6 hotel which means that a night will cost you 21,000, 25,000 or 29,000 World of Hyatt points. That is about to change soon though.

– Image credit to Hyatt Hotels – 

Where America’s Largest Renter Demographic Wants to Live

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Gen Zers are the new millennials—Americans in their late teens, 20s, and early 30s—who traditionally comprise the largest renter demographic in the country. However, stubbornly high housing costs and supply issues have made the once-seamless transition from renter to owner more complicated, pushing more young Americans to rent longer and making rents harder to afford. This has had a dramatic influence on where Gen Zs live and work.

According to a new report from RentCafe.com, Gen Z has dramatically increased its footprint in the U.S. rental population, from 700,000 five years ago to 4.4 million today. The Wall Street Journal quotes Zillow as saying that 25% of all U.S. renters and 47% of recent renters were Gen Zers, as of May 2025. 

However, they have stepped into a perilous housing market. A recent Redfin survey found that 67% of Gen Z respondents reported struggling to afford their rent or mortgage, compared with just over half of millennials and about 36% of baby boomers. Selling belongings, working side hustles, and moving in with their parents have been Gen Zers’ financial coping mechanisms.

Asad Khan, a senior economist at Redfin, said in a statement:

“The reality is that with housing costs still historically high, many young Americans are making compromises on location, size, or timing to get their foot in the homeownership door and start building equity. Gen Zers and millennials are making small gains in homeownership because they’re eager to buy, they’re making sacrifices, and because affordability has improved a bit at the margins—not because homes suddenly became affordable. We expect the slow progress to continue this year, with housing costs dipping slightly while wages rise.”

Where Gen Z Rents and What They Look For

Gen Z renters are located anywhere they can find good jobs and rising wages, according to the RentCafe.com report. Gen Zers are not monolithic, nor are the locations they choose to settle, from pricey coastal cities and tech hubs to less expensive, burgeoning, smaller Southern cities.

For those who can afford it, high-design, amenity-rich apartment buildings functioning as self-contained communities are high on the list, reported the Wall Street Journal. For those who can’t afford it, lower monthly rents and short commutes are high on the list of Gen Z priorities, according to the RentCafe.com report, which states that wage growth makes renting a more viable financial option for many Gen Zers, especially those with good jobs in California’s Silicon Valley, where 95% of Gen Zers who live there rent.

“Gen Z prefers renting in pricey markets like New York City and Los Angeles for the flexibility it offers, and many don’t mind smaller apartments if it means living close to everything,” Adina Dragos, RentCafe.com writer and research analyst, wrote in the report. “Social media adds to the appeal as the ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO) makes living there feel like an important and shareable life experience.”

Mostly, however, Gen Zers want affordability, good schools, and outdoor activities, which is leading many to the South. Birmingham, Alabama, is ranked as the metro area with the fastest-growing population of younger American renters, increasing by 13 times in just five years. Affordability means that a third of the Gen Z population is able to own here.

According to RentCafe.com data, Huntsville attracts young professionals for similar reasons. Ranking second, however, is a Southern city that has been on most people’s radars for a while: Raleigh, North Carolina, a college town where nine out of 10 Gen Zers rent and which offers a vibrant, well-paying job market.

Remote work, coupled with affordability, appears to be a big draw for snowy Buffalo, New York’s high ranking on the list, while a lack of income tax and cultural attractions puts Nashville in the fourth slot.

The Play for Landlords

For landlords who don’t intend to buy pricy rental properties in San Jose, New York, or Los Angeles, less expensive markets with growing economies in the South and Midwest remain good places to invest, given their long-term renter demographics. A September survey by multifamily-focused property management company Entrata found that three-quarters of Gen Zers plan to continue renting long into the future, unwilling to be shackled to a mortgage.

“What the survey told us about Gen Z is that renting is a great way of life for them,” Entrata’s industry expert, Virginia Love, told Newsweek. “While homeownership is something they want at some point in life, they are sort of rewriting their timeline. They don’t feel like they need to follow the whole ‘college, marriage, baby, house, bigger house’ timeline; they can create whatever life they want.”

Employment challenges also keep younger Americans away from homeownership. 

“We are seeing less people in that 20-to-24 age group categorized as fully employed,” Jimmie Lenz, a financial economics professor at Duke University, told Newsweek. “There’s a lot more people that are employed by gig work and things like that, and those are jobs that tend to make it a little more difficult to afford mortgages, and in particular, the kind of traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.”

Playing It Safe: Investing in Areas Where Gen Z Renters May Want to Buy

It’s unreasonable to expect Gen Z renters to want to rent forever, even if that’s what they might say now. Parenthood, increased earnings, and a desire to step away from the risk of escalating rents mean that, at some point, homeownership might be on their wish list. Thus, investing in markets with both a high percentage of Gen Z renters and affordable housing is a sensible move.

According to Cotality, unsurprisingly, Gen Z mortgage loan applications (the data was collected in 2024) were heaviest in less expensive Midwest markets such as: 

  • Des Moines, Iowa (21%)
  • Omaha, Nebraska (21%)
  • Youngstown, Ohio (20%)
  • Dayton, Ohio (20%)
  • Grand Rapids, Michigan (20%)

Other Southern markets that made the top 10 rental markets for Gen Z also made the top mortgage application list, such as Birmingham, Alabama (19%), and Jackson, Mississippi (19%).

Cross-referencing both sets of data will give prospective landlords a good indication of stable future rental markets.

Final Thoughts

In Apartment List’s 2026 State of Renting Report, one thing becomes evident: Gen Z is chronically challenged financially, and that is affecting every major life decision, including where they live. However, 87% of those surveyed said buying a home remained a major life goal.

For investors, this means renting to Gen Z tenants who work and may one day want to live in a particular location makes sense, as does offering different options, such as holding the note on a property for a more passive rental experience. Offering the option to rent along with the option to buy, or simply tying the tenant to a long-term lease with predictable, affordable rental increases, provides both the landlord and tenant with peace of mind through a long-term solution.

Lululemon stock slides in premarket on soft quarterly and annual guidance

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Lululemon stock slides in premarket on soft quarterly and annual guidance

Pending Home Sales Eke Out a Beat Thanks to Lowest Mortgage Rates Since 2022

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Pending Home Sales Eke Out a Beat Thanks to Lowest Mortgage Rates Since 2022


Well, the housing market appeared to be warming up in February, but it might prove to be temporary.

The National Association of Realtors reported that pending home sales unexpectedly rose 1.8% month-over-month versus a median forecast of -1%.

So aside from not being negative MoM, they also beat expectations, which is clearly a positive.

However, they were still down 0.8% year-over-year and the outlook isn’t great given mortgage rates hit 3.5-year lows in February.

Because as we all know, mortgage rates are a lot higher today than they were just a few weeks ago.

Pending Sales Went Positive in February, But It Might Not Last

Pending home sales are a forward-looking indicator as they represent signed contracts to purchase a home.

That means a pending home sale from February will likely close in March or April because it takes anywhere from 30-45 days to get a mortgage, if not longer.

So we’ll see a bump in existing home sales once these get to the finish line, assuming they all do.

But it doesn’t appear to be the big jump many were expecting this year, including NAR that projected a double-digit increase in home sales compared to 2025.

Given we were only able to muster a sub-2% increase in pending sales during a month in which mortgage rates hit 3.5-year lows tells you everything you need to know.

It’s not exactly a blockbuster number, despite beating the very low bar set by economists for the month.

Nor does it paint a particularly bright picture for the start of the spring home buying season.

Assuming mortgage rates stay elevated from now through at least summer, you can’t foresee sales getting much better.

The Mortgage Rate Spike Will Absolutely Slow Down Home Sales

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which began at the very end of February, has led to a big spike in oil prices.

The knock-on effect has been markedly higher mortgage rates, as higher oil prices leads to inflation, whether it’s elevated gas prices or higher input costs for the production and transportation of goods.

This led to a big jump in 10-year bond yields, which had been sub-4% prior to the conflict and looking to drop even more.

That was the reason the 30-year fixed mortgage was the lowest it had been since late summer 2022.

And given mortgage rates were still near all-time lows in early 2022, it was a pretty good place to be, especially in early spring.

Now the picture has changed tremendously, with mortgage rates rising from sub-6% levels to nearly 6.50% by some measures.

We have seen a slight reprieve this week, but it wouldn’t shock me to see mortgage rates move higher before they come down meaningfully.

In other words, there might be short windows to lock in a cheaper mortgage rate, but rates will remain significantly higher than levels seen at the end of February and early March.

The other issue is that the conflict has led to a stock market rout.

So you’ve got prospective home buyers grappling with higher mortgage rates while also looking at a depleted stock portfolio and simultaneously paying more at the pump.

The cumulative effect is consumer confidence will be lower, and as such fewer people will move forward with a home purchase.

That means 2026 could be yet another rough year for the housing market despite looking so bright just weeks ago.

Read on: 2026 Mortgage Rate Forecast

Colin Robertson
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