Recent Posts by Mark Fleming

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

Market Potential Improves on the Back of Gains in Income

By Mark Fleming on September 20, 2016
For the month of August, First American’s proprietary Potential Home Sales model showed that the market for existing-home sales is underperforming its potential by 5.6 percent or an estimated 323,000 seasonally adjusted, annualized rate (SAAR) of sales, an improvement relative to last month’s revised performance gap of -5.7 percent or 328,000 ... Read More

Housing

Market Hovering at Potential in Era of Many Housing “Positives”

By Mark Fleming on August 22, 2016
For the month of July, First American’s proprietary Potential Home Sales model showed that the market for existing-home sales is underperforming its potential by 1.3 percent or an estimated 92,000 seasonally adjusted, annualized rate (SAAR) of sales, an improvement over last month’s revised under-performance gap of 1.8 percent, or 104,000 (SAAR) ... Read More

Housing Interest Rates

The Power of Leverage

By Mark Fleming on August 18, 2016
The importance of measuring housing affordability is paramount. Homeownership is synonymous with the American Dream and all of the wealth-building benefits that it provides, and housing is the single largest monthly expense for most households. Yet, there are many ways to measure the affordability of housing. Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Income Affordability

Era of Uncertainty Continues to Drive Consumer House-Buying Power

By Mark Fleming on July 25, 2016
First American’s proprietary Real House Price Index (RHPI) looks at May 2016 data and includes analysis from First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming explaining the forces behind the continued low mortgage rate environment and the impact on consumer house-buying power. Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Income

Did the Housing Market Rebound Red or Blue?

By Mark Fleming on July 22, 2016
With the national conventions for the major political parties upon us and the presidential election just a few months away, talk of red versus blue states frequently bubbles up in the media and at the water cooler. Cutting-edge statistical analysis is regularly updated to keep up with the fast changing dynamics of the country’s political leanings. Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Income

Market at Potential in Era of Low Interest Rates and Job Growth

By Mark Fleming on July 20, 2016
For the month of June, First American’s proprietary Potential Home Sales model showed that the market for existing-home sales is underperforming its potential by only 0.3 percent or an estimated 17,000 seasonally adjusted, annualized rate (SAAR) of sales, an improvement over last month’s revised performance gap of -3.1 percent or 180,000 (SAAR) ... Read More

Housing Interest Rates