March New Home Sales: The West Leads the Pack
The West – which saw an increase of 25,000 units (16.7 percent) – accounted for nearly three-quarters of the nationwide jump in new home sales.
After Georgia’s Strict 2011 Immigration Law, New Home Premiums Surged
After Georgia enacted a law to crack down on illegal immigration and unauthorized immigrants, the new-home premium jumped sharply there while remaining flat in the rest of the country.
March Existing Home Sales: Speed Shopping
Existing home sales climbed to 5.71 million, the largest monthly number since February 2007 -- and the fifth time in the past seven months that existing home sales have beat expectations.
Rapid Reaction: March Existing Home Sales
March existing home sales rose 4.4 percent from February and 5.9 percent from a year ago, to 5.71 million units (SAAR), according to the National Association of Realtors. March was the strongest month for existing home sales in more than a decade.
March Home Sales Forecast: Blame It on the Cold
Our forecast suggests a year-over-year new home sales growth of 5.7 percent in March – the slowest pace of annual growth in new home sales since early 2014 (the weather-related drop in December 2016 aside). However, if recent trends continue, the year-over-year growth rate of new home sales could slow to 0.6 percent in May.
March 2017 Market Report: Rents Rise at Slowest Pace in Five Years
U.S. rents rose 0.7 percent over the past year, to a Zillow Rent Index (ZRI) of $1,408 per month, the slowest rate of appreciation since November 2012.
Rent Growth Is Flat. Now What?
Slower rental growth may take some heat off renters thinking of buying a home just to escape the volatility of steep annual rent hikes.
Empty Nest Households Are on the Rise
Pricey markets and those with weak labor markets have high concentrations of empty nests. Low densities of empty nests are found in booming cities with strong job markets, new family-oriented areas, and retirement communities.
Nearly Two-Thirds of Americans Live Far From Healthy Food, Some by Choice and Some Not
For many people, using a car to reach healthy food stores is a lifestyle choice. But 20 percent of the country’s non-rural population – or 47.3 million people – have both low incomes and low access to fresh food. Of the households living in food deserts, 7.9 percent don’t have access to a vehicle and must rely on public transportation or walking to reach an area with healthy food.
Viewed from Beijing, Even Silicon Valley Housing Looks Affordable
Homes in China’s most expensive metros sell for thousands of dollars more per square meter than homes in San Francisco and San Jose. But incomes in those U.S. metros are four to five times higher than incomes in Beijing.
