Mortgage lending standards are so tight that homebuyers must have 'pristine' credit histories, study says, as sales head for 31-year low

(Credit: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The housing market has been frozen since the COVID-era boom ended, with higher borrowing costs, limited supply, and elevated home prices mostly taking the blame.

But stricter lending rules put in place after the housing crash that sparked the Great Financial Crisis are also weighing on prospective homeowners, according to a study last month from the Pew Charitable Trusts.