Governor signs 'Vermonters Feeding Vermonters' grant program
Governor Phil Scott signed House Bill 167 (H. 167) on Tuesday, a bill that provides state support for the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program of the Vermont Foodbank, a food bank that buys directly from local farmers by agreeing to a set price, quantity, and delivery schedule before the growing season.
Read the full text of the bill hereDownload
The bill says in part: 'Food insecurity in Vermont, and across the country, has increased in recent years after a decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic… for local food purchased from Vermont farms, every dollar spent contributes an additional $0.60 to the local economy.'
Vermont Foodbank shows off new renovations
The Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program bought over 5.7 million pounds of food from 299 Vermont farms in 2025. In addition to providing annual grants to the program, the bill also allows subgrants to community partners who buy directly from smaller local farms and farm stands.
The bill also requires an annual administrative report to the legislature in March. It will come into effect July 1.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Atlantic
38 minutes ago
- Atlantic
The Obvious Reason the U.S. Should Not Vaccinate Like Denmark
For decades, countries around the world have held up the U.S.'s rigorous approach to vaccine policy as a global ideal. But in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Department of Health and Human Services, many of the officials responsible for vaccine policy disagree. For the best immunization policy, they argue, the U.S. should look to Europe. Marty Makary, the new FDA commissioner, and Vinay Prasad, the new head of the agency's center for regulating vaccines, have criticized the nation's COVID-19-vaccine policy for recommending the shots more broadly than many European countries do. Tracy Beth Høeg, a new adviser at the FDA, has frequently compared the U.S.'s childhood vaccination schedule unfavorably with the more pared-down one in Denmark, and advocated for 'stopping unnecessary vaccines.' (Prasad, citing Høeg, has made the same points.) And the new chair of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Martin Kulldorff—whom Kennedy handpicked to serve on the panel, after dismissing its entire previous roster— announced in June that ACIP would be scrutinizing the current U.S. immunization schedule because it exceeds 'what children in most other developed nations receive.' This group has argued that the trimness of many European schedules—especially Denmark's—implies that the benefits of the U.S.'s roster of shots may not outweigh the risks, even though experts discussed and debated exactly that question when devising the guidance. But broadly speaking, the reasons behind the discrepancies they're referencing 'have nothing to do with safety,' David Salisbury, the former director of immunization of the U.K.'s Department of Health, told me. Rather, they're driven by the factors that shape any national policy: demographics, budget, the nature of local threats. Every country has a slightly different approach to vaccination because every country is different, Rebecca Grais, the executive director of the Pasteur Network and a member of the WHO's immunization-advisory group, told me. One of the most important considerations for a country's approach to vaccines is also one of the most obvious: which diseases its people need to be protected from. The U.S., for instance, recommends the hepatitis A vaccine for babies because cases of the contagious liver disease continue to be more common here than in many other high-income countries. And conversely, this country doesn't recommend some vaccine doses that other nations do. The U.K., for example, routinely vaccinates against meningococcal disease far earlier, and with more overall shots, than the U.S. does— starting in infancy, rather than in adolescence—because meningitis rates have been higher there for years. Using that same logic, countries have also modified prior recommendations based on emerging evidence—including, for instance, swapping the oral polio vaccine for the safer inactivated polio vaccine in the year 2000. Vaccines are expensive, and countries with publicly funded insurance consider those costs differently than the U.S. does. Under U.K. law, for instance, the National Health Service must cover any vaccine that has been officially recommended for use by its Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, or JCVI—essentially, its ACIP. So that committee weights the cost effectiveness of a vaccine more heavily and more explicitly than ACIP does, and will recommend only a product that meets a certain threshold, Mark Jit, an epidemiologist at NYU, who previously worked at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told me. Price also influences what vaccines are ultimately available. In 2023, JCVI recommended (as ACIP has) two options for protecting babies against RSV; unlike in the U.S., though, the NHS bought only one of them from manufacturers, presumably 'because the price they gave the government was cheaper,' Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, the current JCVI chair, and a former member of the World Health Organization's advisory group on immunizations, told me. (The prices that the U.K. government pays for vaccines are generally confidential.) The nature of a country's health-care system can influence vaccine policy in other ways too. In the U.S. system of private health care, health-equity gaps are massive, and access to care is uneven, even for one person across their lifetime. Many Americans bounce from health-care provider to provider—if they are engaged with the medical system at all—and must navigate the coverage quirks of their insurer. In this environment, a more comprehensive vaccination strategy is, essentially, plugging up a very porous safety net. Broad, simple recommendations for vaccines help ensure that a minimal number of high-risk people slip through. 'We're trying to close gaps we couldn't close in any other way,' Grace Lee, a pediatrician and a former chair of ACIP, told me. The U.S. strategy has worked reasonably well for the U.S. Universal flu-vaccine recommendations (not common in Europe) lower the burden of respiratory disease in the winter, including for health-care workers. Hepatitis B vaccines for every newborn (rather than, like in many European countries, for only high-risk ones) help ensure that infants are protected even if their mother misses an opportunity to test for the virus. More generally, broad recommendations for vaccination can also mitigate the impacts of outbreaks in a country where obesity, heart disease, and diabetes—all chronic conditions that can exacerbate a course of infectious illness—affect large swaths of the population. American vaccine experts also emphasize the importance of the community-wide benefits of shots, which can reduce transmission from children to elderly grandparents or decrease the amount of time that parents have to take off of work. Those considerations carry far more weight for many public-health experts and policy makers in a country with patchy insurance coverage and inconsistent paid sick leave. The current leadership of HHS thinks differently: Kennedy, in particular, has emphasized individual choice about vaccines over community benefit. And some officials believe that a better childhood immunization schedule would have fewer shots on it, and more closely resemble Denmark's, notably one of the most minimalist among high-income countries. Whereas the U.S. vaccination schedule guards against 18 diseases, Denmark's targets just 10 —the ones that the nation's health authorities have deemed the most severe and life-threatening, Anders Hviid, an epidemiologist at Statens Serum Institut, in Copenhagen, told me. All vaccines in Denmark are also voluntary. But 'I don't think it's fair to look at Denmark and say, 'Look how they're doing it, that should be a model for our country,'' Hviid told me. 'You cannot compare the Danish situation and health-care system to the situation in the U.S.' Denmark, like the U.K., relies on publicly funded health care. The small, wealthy country also has relatively narrow gaps in socioeconomic status, and maintains extremely equitable access to care. The national attitude toward federal authorities also includes a high degree of confidence, Hviid told me. Even with fully voluntary vaccination, the country has consistently maintained high rates of vaccine uptake, comparable with rates in the U.S., where public schools require shots. And even those factors don't necessarily add up to a minimalist schedule: Other Nordic countries with similar characteristics vaccinate their children more often, against more diseases. At least some of Kennedy's allies seem to have been influenced not just by Denmark's more limited vaccine schedule but specifically by the work of Christine Stabell Benn, a researcher at the University of Southern Denmark, who has dedicated much of her career to studying vaccine side effects. Like Kennedy and many of his allies, Benn is skeptical of the benefits of vaccination: 'It's not very clear that the more vaccines you get, the healthier you are,' she told me. Along with Kulldorff, Høeg, and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, Benn served on a committee convened in 2022 by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that cast COVID-19 vaccines as poorly vetted and risky. She and Høeg have appeared together on podcasts and co-written blogs about vaccine safety; Kulldroff also recently cited her work in an op-ed that praised one Danish approach to multidose vaccines, noting that evaluating that evidence 'may or may not lead to a change in the CDC-recommended vaccine schedule.' When justifying his cuts to Gavi —the world's largest immunization program—Kennedy referenced a controversial and widely criticized 2017 study co-authored by Benn and her husband, Peter Aaby, an anthropologist, that claimed that a diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine was increasing mortality among children in Guinea-Bissau. (Benn wrote on LinkedIn that cutting Gavi funding 'may have major negative impact on overall child survival,' but also noted that 'it is reasonable to request that WHO and GAVI consider the best science available.') Several of the researchers I spoke with described Benn, with varying degrees of politeness, as a contrarian who has cherry-picked evidence, relied on shaky data, and conducted biased studies. Her research scrutinizing vaccine side effects— arguing, for instance, that vaccines not made from live microbes can come with substantial detriments —has been contradicted by other studies, spanning years of research and scientific consensus. (In a 2019 TEDx talk, she acknowledged that other vaccine researchers have disagreed with her findings, and expressed frustration over her difficulties publicizing them.) When we spoke, Benn argued that the U.S. would be the ideal venue for an experiment in which different regions of the country were randomly assigned to different immunization schedules to test their relative merits—a proposal that Prasad has floated as well, and that several researchers have criticized as unethical. Benn said she would prefer to see it done in a country that would withdraw vaccines that had previously been recommended, rather than add new ones. In a later email, she defended her work and described herself as 'a strong advocate for evidence-based vaccination policies,' adding that 'it is strange if that is perceived as controversial.' When I asked her whether anyone currently at HHS, or affiliated with it, had consulted her or her work to make vaccine decisions, she declined to answer. Kulldorff wrote in an email that 'Christine Stabell Benn is one of the world's leading vaccine scientists' but did not answer my questions about Benn's involvement in shaping his recommendations. HHS did not respond to a request for comment. What unites Benn with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his top officials is that, across their statements, they suggest that the U.S. is pushing too many vaccines on its children. But the question of whether or not the U.S. may be 'overvaccinating' is the wrong one to ask, Jake Scott, an infectious-disease physician at Stanford, told me. Rather, Scott said, the more important question is: 'Given our specific disease burden and public-health goals, are we effectively protecting the most vulnerable people? Based on overwhelming evidence? The answer is yes.' That's not to say that the U.S. schedule should never change, or that what one country learns about a vaccine should not inform another's choices. Data have accumulated —including from a large clinical trial in Costa Rica—to suggest that the HPV vaccine, for instance, may be powerful enough that only a single dose, rather than two, is necessary to confer decades of protection. (Based on that growing evidence, the prior roster of ACIP was considering recommending fewer HPV doses.) But largely, 'I'm not sure if there's a lot in the U.S. schedule to complain about,' Pollard, the JCVI chair, told me. On the contrary, other nations have taken plenty of their cues from America: The U.K., for instance, is expected to add the chickenpox shot to its list of recommended vaccines by early next year, Pollard told me, based in part on reassuring data from the U.S. that the benefits outweigh the risks. The U.S. does recommend more shots than many other countries do. But the U.S. regimen also, by definition, guards against more diseases than those of many other countries do—making it a standout course of protection, unparalleled elsewhere.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Mamdani looks to the mainstream
Presented by Resorts World New York City With help from Amira McKee Zohran Mamdani is staffing up his communications team for the general election, and is pulling from folks with decidedly mainstream Democratic pedigrees — alums of Hakeem Jeffries' super PAC, Kamala 2024, the DNC and Hillary 2016. It's a notable choice as the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City tries to stay on the right path from the People's Republic of Astoria to Gracie Mansion. And tries to win over fellow Democrats like Jeffries, who's still withholding an endorsement while denying reports that he's worried Mamdani's win will keep Democrats from taking back the House. First in Playbook: Former Brad Lander campaign comms director Dora Pekec has joined Mamdani's campaign as press secretary. Before Lander, she was spokesperson for House Majority PAC, House Democrats' campaign arm, which is closely aligned with Jeffries. Zara Rahim is staying on as Mamdani's senior advisor for communications. She's worked in corporate comms for Uber, Nike and other clients, and was on Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign and also served in the White House. The right wing Washington Free Beacon spotlighted Rahim this month for tweeting that she hoped Donald Trump would die, after his 2020 COVID diagnosis. Jeffrey Lerner joined the campaign earlier this month as communications director, The New York Times first reported. He's also an Obama White House veteran, and joined the Democratic National Committee for his reelection. And Penelope Birnbaum, who was a press assistant on Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, is joining Mamdani as a press and digital assistant. The newer hires show a shift from Mamdani's previous team. Comms director Andrew Epstein had been chief of staff to fellow democratic socialist Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, and his deputy Lekha Sunder came from New Deal Strategies, a left-leaning firm with clients like the Working Families Party. Sunder's staying in her campaign role, while Epstein is now creative director, managing Mamdani's lauded video team. More staffing changes are coming too, including a new campaign manager. POLITICO reported earlier this month that his CM in the primary, Elle Bisgaard-Church, is taking a new role more focused on the transition to governing. Mamdani has shown a real desire to win over his skeptics who have power, talking with big business leaders and breaking bread with Jeffries, rather than boxing them out. His staunchest DSA allies — many of whom would prefer to give Jeffries the middle finger, Christopher Columbus style — are having to deal with it, The New York Times reported. But the criticism (at least publicly) has been muted, with lefties willing to cede a little power in Mamdani's campaign for the goal of having real 'co-governance' in City Hall, City & State reported. A few new staffers won't be enough to stop mainstream Democrats from teeing off daily on Mamdani — the latest being Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro telling Jewish Insider that Mamdani failed to condemn antisemitism. But Mamdani's brand is strong enough that London Mayor Sadiq Khan's camp is bragging to The Times that they've exchanged texts across the Atlantic. Khan reportedly advised his fellow Muslim leader 'to move to the centre.' — Jeff Coltin HAPPY THURSDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. MORNING MONEY: CAPITAL RISK — POLITICO's flagship financial newsletter has a new Friday edition built for the economic era we're living in: one shaped by political volatility, disruption and a wave of policy decisions with sector-wide consequences. Each week, Morning Money: Capital Risk brings sharp reporting and analysis on how political risk is moving markets and how investors are adapting. Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs, or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here. WHERE'S KATHY? Joining 97 Rock's 'The Shredd & Ragan Show' at 8 a.m. Attending Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University in Rochester. WHERE'S ERIC? Schedule not available as of 10 p.m. Wednesday. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'Did you ever see that show 'The Good Place?' This reminds me of something that the demon tried to torture people with. Give them something terrible, let them figure it out, and then change it.' — An anonymous ICE agent in Manhattan talking about new federal directives, via Hell Gate's report on the banality of arresting immigrants outside court rooms. ABOVE THE FOLD MAGA-FICATION: New York Republicans are poised to nominate a MAGA-aligned candidate for governor next year — a dynamic that underscores President Donald Trump's dominance over the GOP even in a deep blue state, POLITICO reports. Moderate Rep. Mike Lawler's decision to forgo a gubernatorial campaign opens the door wide for either Rep. Elise Stefanik or Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — two Trump allies — to seek the GOP nomination. It's a turnaround from 2018, when Republican nominee Marc Molinaro — who is now a Trump administration official — told reporters he wrote in former Rep. Chris Gibson in the 2016 presidential race. Democrats are eager for the chance to once again leverage Trump as a foil in his native state, which he has lost three times. Republicans, though, believe the circumstances stand to be different next year in New York, where Democrats have dominated elections for a generation. They point to Hochul's middling poll numbers, persistent voter concerns over crime and affordability, and the prospect of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani leading New York City as reasons for optimism. In short: Trump's seal of approval next year may not be a kiss of death. 'I don't see a situation where he's driving the same kind of turnout in previous gubernatorial elections because of his popularity with independents,' said Republican strategist Dave Catalfamo. 'The media will focus on the fact that Elise is aligned with the president, but the voters are more aligned with the president than ever.' Defeating Hochul is still considered an uphill climb in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1. Hochul reported more than $17 million cash on hand this month for her reelection bid. Next year stands to be a referendum on the White House and the Republican-led Congress. Nevertheless, Trump has shaped the race for governor. The president endorsed Lawler's reelection bid to his swing Hudson Valley House seat — a nod that boosted Republicans' chances of avoiding a potentially costly primary. — Nick Reisman CITY HALL: THE LATEST NATIONAL ATTENTION: A Florida-based Trump super fan filed a new federal super PAC Tuesday named Emergency Committee To Save NYC. Palm Beach polo player Robert Scott Kiger formed another super PAC in 2015 to boost Trump's first campaign, and earned some headlines for his criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement. It's not clear what Kiger plans to do with the new PAC, although presumably he's not a big Mamdani fan, and he didn't respond to a request for comment. At least six other independent expenditure committees have been created at the state level to focus on the general election. That includes Defend NYC, formed by Trump campaign adviser Jason Meister. He told Playbook his will be 'a razor-sharp digital war room' which 'will expose Mamdani's dangerous stances' through 'an unrelenting onslaught of viral videos, precision-targeted digital ads, and influencer-driven attacks will dominate the electorate.' — Jeff Coltin UNBERET-ABLE: GOP mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa is testing out a more business-like look, donning a suit and tie without his signature red beret at a meeting with Steamfitters Local 638 Thursday, per a photo posted on X. 'Polling well. Feeling well,' Sliwa campaign spokesperson Daniel Kurzyna said about the change in style. Sliwa sat in third place behind Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo in a July Slingshot Poll. — Jeff Coltin HOUSING FACT CHECK: No, Adams did not 'build more housing' than his predecessors Bill de Blasio and Mike Bloomberg combined, like he claimed on a recent podcast. But his rezonings are expected to create more units than both of theirs. (Real Deal) More from the city: — Adams urged the Trump administration to inspect conditions at 26 Federal Plaza after complaints of 'inhumane treatment' at the ICE facility. (New York Post) — Instacart is threatening to sue if Adams doesn't veto the bill expanding the city's minimum-pay rule to grocery delivery workers. (Crain's New York) — Criminal summons to cyclists increased 10-fold following an NYPD crackdown (Gothamist) PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDING: State lawmakers want to shore up funding for Planned Parenthood in New York after federal funding cuts were approved this month. The federal tax-and-spend measure signed by Trump will negatively impact Planned Parenthood networks, including five in New York, lawmakers wrote in a letter Thursday to Hochul. They want the state to help make up the cuts. 'Together we have diligently sought to protect and expand access to reproductive health care – especially in the wake of the overturn of Roe v. Wade,' the lawmakers, who comprise a caucus of pro-abortion rights elected officials, wrote in the letter. 'We cannot allow federal anti-abortion lawmakers to force us backwards, when we have worked so hard to be a beacon of hope – an access state for all.' The concern is the latest to arise from the federal spending package that state officials must grapple with in the coming weeks. POLITICO Pro previously reported New York's abortion access fund is struggling to keep up with demand as more people from outside of the state seek financial assistance and the procedure's cost increases. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Hochul is being urged to support more funding for child care vouchers. (Spectrum News) — Regulators are cracking down on a troubled solar energy company. (NYS Focus) — Striking corrections officers held in contempt are now facing state fines. (Spectrum News) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION 'IT'S ALL CONNECTED': It feels like Democrats in Washington have been all about Jeffrey Epstein all the time, running circles around Republicans, as POLITICO reported, by sticking their fingers in the wound of the MAGA conspiracy theory. But what about Democratic leaders' pledge to keep the pressure on Republicans over GOP cuts to Medicaid and food assistance as the midterms near? And their resolve to refocus on economic issues that they believe cost them a chance to win back control of the House in 2024? It's one and the same, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Wednesday. 'The reality is that it's all connected,' the Brooklyn Democrat said. 'From the standpoint of Donald Trump, his administration and House Republicans have delivered nothing more than a government of the billionaires, by the billionaires and for the billionaires. … Why haven't Republicans released the Epstein files to the American people? It's reasonable to conclude that Republicans are continuing to protect the lifestyles of the rich and shameless — even if that includes pedophiles.' House Democrats were gleefully preparing to force more Epstein-related votes, as the Republicans controlling the chamber ready for an August recess and break from tackling Trump's ties to the disgraced financier and sex offender. Trump has been 'furious' over the attention on the Epstein saga, POLITICO reported. — Emily Ngo BACK THE TAX: Health care lobbyists want Republican members of Congress to help them advocate for a grace period for a lucrative new state tax, which was rendered unlawful by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, POLITICO Pro reports today. If Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signs off, New York could get up to three years to phase out the tax, which could net health care institutions a total of $3.7 billion in Medicaid funding. Rep. Mike Lawler already made the case in a letter to Kennedy and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz. 'Providing the full transition period as allowed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would represent a fair and practical approach, giving states, hospitals, and nursing homes the necessary time to adapt without compromising the long-term intent of the policy,' Lawler wrote in the July 10 letter. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon declined to comment on Kennedy's stance. — Maya Kaufman More from Congress: — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer doesn't want to become his party's bogeyman again as Democrats take on Trump with a fall funding deadline looming. (CNN) — The foot-dragging by congressional Dems hesitant to endorse Mamdani could alienate the young voters the party will need to take back Congress and the White House. (NY1) — A memo finds state Democrats are urging the party to flip state legislatures — or pay the price in 2030 redistricting. (POLITICO) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — Columbia University says it has reached a settlement with the Trump administration to end federal investigations into civil rights violations stemming from divisive protests. (POLITICO) — Canadian border crossings are down drastically compared to 2024. (Spectrum News) — Equinor booked a nearly $1 billion writedown on its U.S. offshore wind portfolio after the Trump administration halted construction of its offshore wind project off New York. (POLITICO Pro) SOCIAL DATA MAKING MOVES: Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon has joined the Manhattan Institute as a senior fellow. (City & State) HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYC Council Members Tiffany Cabán and Rita Joseph … Cuomo campaign spox Jason Elan … Apex's Barbara Morgan … Threshold Group's Andy McIndoo … NYT's Zolan Kanno-Youngs … WSJ's Kim Strassel … Erica Pelletreau … CNBC's Eamon Javers … The Sentry's Greg Hittelman … Matt Joseloff … Sarah Citrenbaum ... Magee Quick McBride … (WAS WEDNESDAY): Mariane Pearl Missed Wednesday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Number of Home Sales Falling Through Hits Record Level
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The number of pending home sales that fell through hit record-levels for the month of June in 2025, as surging inventory and economic uncertainty continues to plague sellers. According to analysis by real estate firm and brokerage Redfin, over 57,000 home-sale agreements across the U.S. were cancelled in June, equating to around 15 percent of houses that were under contract in the month. This is up from 14 percent a year ago, and marks the highest cancellation rate for any June on record. Why It Matters Redfin said in its analysis that record levels of home sales falling through serves as a reflection of persistent economic unease among buyers, as well as the issues of affordability, inflation and high mortgage rates that may be weighing on their minds. The increased fiscal risks associated with homeownership have also contributed to rising levels of inventory, reducing sellers' leverage and putting power over the housing market more firmly in the hands of prospective buyers. What To Know Real estate agents who spoke to Redfin said buyers are becoming reluctant to finalize purchases due to economic uncertainties, in particular high mortgage rates, the potential impacts of tariffs, inflation and the possibility of a recession in the near future. Others noted that surging levels of inventory have put power in the hands of buyers, leading many to cancel deals when another home within their price range is listed. According to June Housing Market Trends Report, the number of homes for sale in the U.S. rose nearly 30 percent year-over-year, marking the 20th consecutive month of increases. The latest market report from Zillow, and recent data from the St. Louis Fed, similarly showed that housing inventory has risen to post-Covid highs. Analysis from Redfin in May said that high levels of inventory, coupled with subdued demand, had led to a buyer surplus of nearly 500,000. It said that this marks the largest gap between buyers and sellers since 2013. A for sale sign is displayed outside of a home for sale on August 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. A for sale sign is displayed outside of a home for sale on August 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Despite buyers having greater choice, high prices, mortgage rates, and economic uncertainties have continued to sideline buyers and weigh on home sales in 2025. According to data released Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales fell by 2.7 percent in June to a nine-month low of 3.9 million. Median home prices also rose to $435,300, marking a record high for June and the 24th consecutive month of year-over-year increases. Prior to the release, President Trump on Tuesday blamed persistently weak home sales on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and the central bank's reluctance to lower interest rates, which would likely contribute to mortgage rates declining. "People aren't able to buy a house because this guy is a numbskull," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "He keeps the rates too high." What People Are Saying Crystal Zschirnt, a Redfin Premier agent in Dallas, said: "Buyers have leverage. Some buyers are canceling deals because another home pops up in the same price range that they like better, or because they discover a flaw and get nervous it'll cost too much to fix. I've also heard of some buyers backing out because they're hoping home prices or mortgage rates are going to plummet soon, even though that's unlikely." Nancy Vanden Houten, Lead Economist at Oxford Economics, in comments shared with Newsweek on June's home sales data: "Existing home sales were weaker than expected in June, but we don't think the decline marks the start of a sustained downturn in sales. We look for sales to move sideways over the balance of 2025, before recovering in 2026 as rate cuts by the Federal Reserve get underway in earnest." "Increases in supply should temper home price growth and support sales. Median home prices rose to a record high in June, but the increase was at least partly due to seasonal quirks and we think price growth will trend lower in the second half of this year," she added. What Happens Next? According to Redfin's forecasts, home prices are expected to decline one percent by the end of the year compared to 2024. Despite hopes of mortgage rates soon dropping to six percent, which analysts believe could inject much-needed momentum into U.S. home sales, it anticipates these remaining effectively unchanged at around 6.8 percent.
