Tough at the Top: How Luxury Lagged Late in 2015
After growing in line with more modest areas throughout much of the first half of 2015, home value appreciation in America’s toniest ZIP codes stalled over the past 6 months – even as growth in entry-level and mid-market communities continued.
Why Presidential Candidates Aren’t Talking About Housing Affordability (Yet)
Housing affordability has not been a main issue, so far, in this presidential election cycle. There are several good reasons why, but among the easiest potential explanations is this: Candidates have simply not yet really begun campaigning in the states where housing affordability is at its worst.
Q4 2015 Breakeven Horizon: Buying a Home Pays Off for Most – But Not All – After Just Two Years
A longstanding combination of healthy home value growth and low mortgage interest rates, combined with robust growth in rents, is helping to keep the buy vs. rent equation tilted heavily towards buying in most areas for those planning on staying in their homes for longer than just a few years.
Rockin’ the Suburbs: Home Values and Rents in Urban, Suburban and Rural Areas
The suburban home – long a symbol of success, stability and the American Dream – appears to be losing some of its luster as the appeal of city living gains steam and urban homes grow in value more quickly.
Key Takeaways From the December New Home Sales Report
New home sales jumped in December, increasing 10.8 percent from November to 544,000 units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). It was the second-best month for new home sales in 2015, slightly behind February, which recorded 545,000 new home sales (SAAR).
Rapid Reaction: December New Home Sales
New home sales had a strong December, recording their best month since February 2015 and second-best since 2008. Additionally, for the first time since July 2015, both new and existing home sales for the month moved in the same direction, reversing a months-long trend in which one would rise, and the other would fall.
December Case-Shiller Forecast: Expect Slightly Slower Monthly Growth
The November S&P Case-Shiller (SPCS) data published today showed home prices rising on a seasonally-adjusted monthly basis, with month-over-month rises of 0.9 percent for all three headline indices. The December Case-Shiller forecast predicts similar, if slightly slower, monthly appreciation going forward (seasonally adjusted).
November Case-Shiller: Another Month of 5 Percent-Plus Growth
This morning, all three of the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices showed annual home price growth above 5 percent in November. The November Case-Shiller data echoes a similar increase in October.
Key Takeaways From the December Existing Home Sales Report
Existing home sales increased 14.7 percent from November to December to 5.46 million units, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), according to the National Association of Realtors. Buoyed by regulatory changes that likely pushed some closings into December from November, existing home sales more than reversed the 10.5 percent decline reported from October to November.
