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.

Could the Affordability Crunch Ease in 2024?

By Mark Fleming on November 28, 2023
In September 2023, the Real House Price Index (RHPI) jumped up by 15 percent on an annual basis, dragging housing affordability to the lowest point in over three decades. Two factors drove the sharp annual decline in affordability – a 6.2 percent annual increase in nominal house prices, according to our First American Data & Analytics House ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

The Blight, the Bright, and What Seems Just Right in 2024

By Mark Fleming on November 21, 2023
The surge in mortgage rates from mid-2022 through 2023 triggered a housing recession, with the most pronounced impact felt in a steep decline in sales, while prices have remained relatively stable. Specifically, existing-home sales plunged to a more than 12-year low in September of this year. Rising mortgage rates have a dual impact on the housing ... Read More

Potential Home Sales Mortgage Rates

Will Re-Accelerating House Price Appreciation Flip the Rent vs. Own Dynamic Again?

By Mark Fleming on October 31, 2023
In August 2023, the Real House Price Index (RHPI) jumped up by nearly 25 percent on an annual basis, dragging housing affordability to the lowest point in over three decades. Two factors drove the sharp annual decline in affordability – a 5.4 percent annual increase in nominal house prices, according to our First American Data & Analytics ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

1980s Déjà Vu for the Housing Market

By Mark Fleming on October 17, 2023
The average 30-year, fixed mortgage rate trended upward throughout September, approaching 8 percent in early October. Higher mortgage rates have a dual impact on the housing market – reducing affordability for buyers and strengthening the rate lock-in effect for potential sellers. The combination of reduced affordability and an even stronger rate ... Read More

Interest Rates Potential Home Sales Tenure

When Boomers and Millennials Collide: Tectonic Shifts in Demographics are Coming

By Ksenia Potapov on October 6, 2023
Demographic trends are a fundamental driver of housing demand and supply and analyzing them can help us anticipate how many people will need housing, as well as roughly when, where and what kind of housing. During the pandemic, the peak of millennial demand for homeownership coincided with record-low mortgage rates and a shortage of homes for ... Read More

Housing Millennials Baby Boomers Homeownership

Affordability Sinks to Lowest Point in Over Three Decades

By Mark Fleming on September 25, 2023
In July 2023, the Real House Price Index (RHPI) jumped up by nearly 17 percent on an annual basis, bringing housing affordability to the lowest point in over three decades. Two factors drove the sharp annual decline in affordability – a 4 percent annual increase in nominal house prices and a 1.4 percentage point increase in the 30-year, fixed ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability