Like any market, the housing market has ups-and-downs. There are years when conditions favor buyers and then there are years when sellers have all the negotiating power. Unfortunately, when you need to make a move, you don’t always have the luxury of waiting until market conditions are perfect for you. The good news, though, is that, for today’s home buyer, conditions are trending in the right direction. In fact, according to a new report, nearly three-quarters of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas are now more affordable than they were last year at the same time. What’s driving the improvement? Well, there are a few things helping make conditions more favorable for home buyers. For starters, mortgage rates have recently declined. Combined with higher wages and an increasing number of homes for sale, the drop in mortgage rates has helped counteract the effects of rising home prices. And, though prices are still increasing, the rate at which they are has continued to slow. For example, data from May shows year-over-year price increases were the slowest in three years. In other words, in most markets, home prices are beginning to moderate at the same time other buying conditions have improved. In short, buying a house is becoming more affordable in most markets. More here.