Trends

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Real Estate’s Uneven Recovery Continues in August

The recovery in housing is still heavily concentrated in higher price points, according to new NAR research. On the surface, it seems like just another report on housing – earlier this week, the National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home

New Home Sales Rocket 33% in August – Why You Should be Skeptical

New home sales rocketed to the moon in August, but such data should be taken with a grain of salt. Here’s some glorious news to brighten up your day – according to new Census Bureau numbers, the sales of

414,000 Home Sales Lost in 2014 to Student Debt

Some analysts have argued that the impact of student loans is overblown, but new research comes to a different conclusion. In the last 11 years, student debt in the U.S. has skyrocketed from $241 billion to $1.1 trillion, making

NAR: Investors Clear the Way for First-Time Buyers

NAR’s August existing-home sales report reveals declines – the good kind. The second quarter of 2014 saw consecutive months of gains, and it looked like that trend was continuing into the third quarter. However, due to a increasing lack

Why Single-Family Home Construction May Still Be Too High

We keep hearing how depressed single-family construction is and that we need more new homes, but is that really the case? In 2013, there were 618,000 single-family housing starts, and we’re currently operating at a rate of roughly 622,000

3 Reasons Why Tight Lending Standards are Not the Problem with Housing

Tight lending is blamed constantly for housing’s slow recovery, but there’s actually much more to the narrative than meets the eye. Last week, we reported on an unorthodox idea that is brewing in some housing circles – that in

3 Signs that Millennials are Not Yet Ready to Save Housing

Everyone keeps waiting for Millennials to jump into the housing market and save the day, but new data shows we should not hold our breath. It’s the big question on many an agent’s mind – when will Millennials take

5 Important Facts Beyond the Housing Starts Headlines

The post-boom construction narrative soldiers on with the release of the latest building data from the Census Bureau. On the surface, it looks pretty bad – according to fresh numbers out today from the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of

A Decade of Cash

The last decade as seen the rise of cash sales. Now some believe we’re seeing the fall. Over the last decade, the portion of all-cash sales has fluctuated wildly, largely on account of the initial expansion of the housing

Builder Confidence Rises to Highest Level in 9 Years

Builder confidence has continued its recovery in September, according to new NAHB research. Homebuilders are clearly a happy bunch. According to the National Association of Home Builders’ latest Housing Market Index, which is the leading measure of confidence in the

5 Fascinating Findings on How Generation Z Perceives Homeownership

Generation Z, according to new survey results, have interesting views on homeownership. Generation Z, the next cohort of Americans after the Millennial generation, represents the most wired, diverse group of Americans in the nation’s history. Indeed, starting around the mid-90s

Hesitant Banks Keep Mortgage Originations Low

Housing experts comment on the industry’s slow recovery, and tight lending and  underwriting standards are a popular culprit. The summer sales season is over and activity in the housing market has, expectedly, begun to take a dip. However, some analysts

4 Stats that Explain Why Housing Still Hasn’t Recovered

Housing has been stuck in a rut in 2014, but when you look at the proper information, it makes perfect sense. After a stellar 2013 driven by investors and wealthier consumers, housing has bounced around sideways through most of

4 Ways Housing Has Left the Middle Class Behind

Housing may be recovering, but it has not done so in a manner that is beneficial for the middle class. There can be little doubt that the U.S. housing market is in recovery – home prices reversed track in

5 Key Details About the FHFA’s Plan to Reform Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac

The FHFA is soldering on with its own plan to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Reform efforts for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the humongous government-sponsored entities who play an integral role in the nation’s housing market, have

4 Ways Housing Has Left the Middle Class Behind

Housing may be recovering, but it has not done so in a manner that is beneficial for the middle class. There can be little doubt that the U.S. housing market is in recovery – home prices reversed track in

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