October Housing Starts: Builders Give Us a Clearer View
October housing starts rose 1.5 percent from September, but were down 2.9 percent from a year ago, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Market Trends
Forecast for Existing and New Home Sales (October 2018)
After an unexpectedly sharp drop in September, we expect existing home sales extended their six-month long decline, falling 0.5 percent in October to 5.13 million units at a seasonally adjusted annual rate.
Student Debt Pushes More Homes Out of Renters’ Reach
Based on today’s values, the highest priced home a renting household with student debt could afford is $269,400. A renting household without student debt could go as high as $361,800.
Mortgage Rates Flat Amid Oil Price Declines
Mortgage rates remained flat this week, as a relatively light week of economic news and data releases, teamed with a collapse in oil prices and continued stock market volatility, resulted in modest rate movements.
More Than 386,000 Homes at Risk of Coastal Flooding by 2050
By 2050, more than 386,000 existing homes in U.S. coastal areas are likely to be at risk of permanent inundation. By 2100, the estimate is 2.5 million homes. Moderate emissions cuts, roughly in line with the Paris agreement on climate, could reduce the number to a little more than 348,000 homes by 2050 and 1.3 million homes by 2100.
Rates Vault to New Seven-Year High Following Strong Jobs Release
Mortgage rates were decisively higher this week, reaching their highest levels in more than seven years, following Friday’s release of stellar jobs data.
Uneven Recovery: Many High-Foreclosure ZIP Codes Haven’t Bounced Back
In most major markets, ZIP codes that experienced the fewest foreclosures during the housing bust have recovered significantly more than those with the most foreclosures – a phenomenon that further exacerbates wealth inequality.
Americans Move to Cheaper Areas When Having Children
For many people, the decisions to move and to grow their families are intertwined – and having a newborn tends to mean choosing an area where home values are lower.
Birth Rates and Home Values: A Closer Look
Don’t people in pricey places always have fewer children? Doesn’t prior research show a positive relationship between home value gains and greater fertility? And more questions answered!
Blue County Home Values Crashed Harder, Recovered Stronger
Following the 2016 presidential election, homes in counties that voted for Hillary Clinton and President Donald Trump fared very similarly until earlier this year.
