Housing Market Trends

From the First American Economic Center

The First American Economic Center has you covered with in-depth analysis and expert insights on the latest data and trends in the industry.

Recent Posts by Sam Williamson

A Season of Gratitude—and Fresh Opportunities for the Next Generation of Homeowners

By Sam Williamson on November 24, 2025
Key Points: After a delayed start, younger generations are gaining ground in homeownership, driven by rising earnings, maturing careers, and the decision to form families. Millennials are accelerating purchases in their thirties, matching Gen X by their early forties and positioned to modestly surpass them as incomes grow and family formation ... Read More

Housing Affordability Mortgage Rates Existing-Home Sales

From Boomers to Zoomers: The Great Housing Handoff Poised to Drive Housing Dynamics for Decades

By Sam Williamson on October 30, 2025
Key Points: Boomers and Generation X dominate homeownership today, but as they age out, tens of millions of family homes will become available. Millennials and Generation Z—followed by Generations Alpha and Beta—will soak up that supply by forming households first and shifting into ownership later as they mature, sustaining demand for decades. The ... Read More

Affordable housing Housing Affordability

Mapping the Landscape of Affordability: Why Where You Live Shapes What You Pay

By Sam Williamson on August 13, 2025
Key Points: Affordability depends heavily on location. Regional differences in prices, taxes, and utility costs lead to wide disparities in how much of one’s income is spent on housing. High home prices—particularly in Western markets—drive up mortgage and tax costs, leading to some of the highest cost burden rates in the country. High income ... Read More

Housing Affordability Mortgage Rates

Housing Cost Burden Reaches Decade-Long Peak, Squeezing those Just Starting and those Staying Put

By Sam Williamson on July 9, 2025
Key Points: Housing cost burdens reached a new peak in 2023, with 16.9 million homeowners spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing—the highest level in over a decade. Nearly 60% of the increase in newly burdened homeowners since 2019 came from those spending over half their income on housing—showing that affordability challenges ... Read More

Affordable housing Housing Affordability

Under Pressure: Rising Homeownership Costs Squeeze Housing Affordability

By Sam Williamson on June 12, 2025
Key Points: The average monthly cost of owning a home in the U.S. soared to over $1,700 in 2023—a 17 percent increase from 2020—driven by across-the-board cost increases in mortgages, utilities, property taxes, and insurance. While mortgage holders face higher overall expenses, outright owners are seeing their housing budgets stretched more ... Read More

Affordable housing Housing Affordability

Southern Discomfort: Weather and Economic Headwinds Drive Home Insurance Premiums Through the Roof

By Sam Williamson on May 7, 2025
Key Points: Homeowners insurance premiums in the U.S. increased by 21 percent between 2021 and 2023, driven by severe weather-related events, rising construction costs, and higher claim payouts. The South, particularly coastal cities, faced the steepest hikes, with eight of the 10 metros with the fastest-growing premiums located in the region. ... Read More

Affordable housing Housing Affordability