Recent Posts by Mark Fleming

Mark Fleming is the chief economist for First American Financial Corporation and leads First American’s Decision Sciences team.

Why Housing Market Potential Strengthened in April

By Mark Fleming on May 20, 2021
Housing market potential regained strength in the month of April, according to our Potential Home Sales Model. In April, housing market potential increased 1.3 percent compared with March, and is now nearly 30 percent higher than the pandemic-driven collapse last April. Relative to two years ago, housing market potential is 16.7 percent higher and ... Read More

Interest Rates Homeownership Potential Home Sales

Has the Great Housing Supply Crash Bottomed Out?

By Mark Fleming on May 19, 2021
More than a year into the pandemic, the housing market continues to run hot. The supply and demand imbalance brewing before the pandemic boiled over in the past year, resulting in record low levels of housing inventory and, consequently, the fastest pace of annual house price appreciation since 2005. With the arrival of the spring home-buying ... Read More

Housing Housing supply

Will Rising Equity Levels Mean More Homeowners Will List Their Homes for Sale?

By Mark Fleming on April 27, 2021
The three components of the Real House Price Index (RHPI) are household income, mortgage rates and a nominal house price index. The RHPI adjusts nominal house prices according to changes in income and interest rates, which together make up consumer house-buying power. When incomes rise, house-buying power rises as well. However, when mortgage ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

Rising Rates Unlikely to Substantially Cool Hot Spring Home-Buying Season

By Mark Fleming on April 16, 2021
After hitting its highest point since 2007 last month, housing market potential fell modestly in March, according to our Potential Home Sales Model. Housing market potential remains near the 13-year high point, but the severely limited supply of homes for sale and an uptick in mortgage rates pulled market potential for existing-home sales off its ... Read More

Interest Rates Homeownership Potential Home Sales

Why Affordability Improved Amid Soaring House Prices

By Mark Fleming on March 31, 2021
Soaring nominal house prices dominate recent headlines and for good reason. It is true that nominal house prices are the highest they have ever been, over 22 percent higher than the housing boom peak in 2006, according to the First American Data & Analytics House Price Index. The acceleration in the pace of annual house price growth began in ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

The Good, the Bad and the Maybe Ahead of Spring Home Buying

By Mark Fleming on March 19, 2021
In February 2021, housing market potential increased to its highest level since 2007, despite the largest month-over-month jump in mortgage rates since October 2019. Housing market potential rose 1.3 percent in February relative to the previous month, and 12.2 percent year-over-year. While rising average tenure length was the largest drag on ... Read More

Interest Rates Federal Reserve Homeownership Potential Home Sales