# Global housing market and affordability trends > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/global-housing-market-and-affordability-trends > Updated: 2026-09-07T11:45:22.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Global housing markets are facing systemic challenges characterized by affordability issues, inventory shortages, and shifting buyer demographics. In the United States, high mortgage rates and decreasing inventory have contributed to rising costs, with Boomers making up 42% of buyers while first-time homebuyers have reached a record low of 21%. Legal and regulatory frictions have also emerged, such as a lawsuit by Zillow against Compass regarding listing delays. In Great Britain, market data shows increased selling times in many local authorities, with regional disparities noted between fast-selling markets in Scotland and slower markets in the East Midlands. The crisis in the United Kingdom is further complicated by the property guardian scheme, where rising costs and a lack of traditional tenancy rights leave residents with limited legal protections. In New Zealand, specifically Auckland, unaffordability is driven by low wages, high building material costs, and land-banking by developers. Proposed interventions include taxing undeveloped residentially zoned land to stimulate development. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-07: Global housing crises highlight systemic issues in New Zealand and the UK Housing crises in New Zealand and the UK reveal distinct issues, from land-banking and high construction costs in Auckland to the rising costs and lack of legal protections in London's property guardian schemes 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/global-housing-crises-highlight-systemic-issues-in-new-zealand-and-the-uk ### 2026-08-26: Housing markets face shifts in US and Great Britain Housing markets in the US and Great Britain face challenges from high mortgage rates and shifting demographics, with longer selling times in parts of the UK and record lows for first-time buyers in Chicago. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/housing-markets-face-shifts-in-us-and-great-britain --- Cite as: Global housing market and affordability trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/global-housing-market-and-affordability-trends