Fourth-quarter sales of the most affordable homes were up 11.3 percent year-over-year while luxury home sales plummeted 16.3 percent in the same period, according to new data from Redfin Corp. What Happened Affordable homeownership opportunities have been elusive in many parts of the country for years, but Redfin attributed much of this new uptick in affordable homes for sale to owners putting their properties on the market as the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic-era mortgage forbearance and foreclosure moratorium programs came to an end. As a result, new listings of the most affordable homes rose 31 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter, while new listings in other housing market tiers either grew by less than 5 percent or were in decline. “The market for homes at lower price points is booming for a few reasons,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “Not only is there demand from workers who are now earning …