Midwest Home Sales Decline Amid Economic Challenges; Iowa Football Vacates Wins

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Home sales in the Midwest hit their lowest level since late 2023 in March, as buyers remain cautious and homeownership becomes increasingly out of reach for many. Meanwhile, the University of Iowa football team is vacating four wins from the 2023 season due to NCAA violations, and a bill restricting mail-order abortion pills is moving forward in the Iowa legislature.

Why it matters

The Midwest housing market slowdown reflects broader economic challenges facing the region, including rising costs that are making it harder for families to afford basic needs. The Iowa football case highlights the high stakes of NCAA recruiting rules, while the abortion pill legislation is part of ongoing debates over reproductive rights.

The details

The Midwest recorded its lowest level of home sales since December 2023 in March, according to Nadia Evangelou, principal economist with the National Association of Realtors. She says the region remains the most affordable, but buyers are still cautious and homeownership is out of reach for many. Despite the slowdown, the Midwest housing market is expected to rebound quickly. In Iowa, a bill that would restrict mail-order abortion pills is moving forward after a debate in the Iowa House. The proposal would require a doctor's visit and informed consent before a patient is prescribed abortion pills, and patients would only be able to take the pills in a healthcare setting. Republicans say they aim to regulate the abortion pill and prevent the sale of what they call "black market" abortion medications. The University of Iowa football team is also vacating four wins from the 2023 season as part of an NCAA punishment. The organization says head coach Kirk Ferentz and an assistant coach engaged in tampering in 2022 when recruiting quarterback Cade McNamara, who transferred to Iowa from Michigan before the 2023 season. The NCAA says phone calls and text messages between McNamara and the Iowa football program were impermissible and made him ineligible to play for the Hawkeyes.

• In March, the Midwest recorded its lowest level of home sales since December 2023.
• The Iowa bill restricting mail-order abortion pills is currently moving forward after a debate in the Iowa House.
• The University of Iowa football team is vacating four wins from the 2023 season as part of an NCAA punishment.

What’s next

The Iowa bill restricting mail-order abortion pills still needs to pass the state legislature and be signed into law by the governor.