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.

The Five Cities Where Affordability Improved the Most

By Mark Fleming on January 27, 2020
Once again, home buyers benefitted from a year-over-year affordability boost as two of the three key drivers of the Real House Price Index (RHPI), household income and mortgage rates, swung in favor of increased affordability in November. Compared with November 2018, the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage fell by 1.2 percentage points and household ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

How Low Mortgage Rates Help and Hurt Housing Market Potential

By Mark Fleming on January 22, 2020
The final month of 2019 saw actual existing-home sales exceed housing market potential by 1.2 percent, or an estimated 64,830 seasonally adjusted annualized sales. According to our Potential Home Sales Model, housing market potential increased 1.7 percent in December 2019 relative to the previous month, and grew 2.6 percent year over year, an ... Read More

Interest Rates Potential Home Sales Tenure

What Global Uncertainty Means for the Housing Market

By Mark Fleming on January 10, 2020
Global events and uncertainty, such as the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, clearly impacts geopolitical relations, but also impacts the U.S. economy, and more specifically, the U.S. housing market. How? Against a backdrop of uncertainty, investors worldwide look for a safe place to put their money. U.S. bonds, backed by the full faith and ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Federal Reserve Affordability

Why Did Defect Risk for Purchase Transactions Rise for the First Time Since March?

By Mark Fleming on December 27, 2019
As we predicted last month, the Loan Application Defect Index for purchase transactions reached a turning point in November. After falling since March, the Defect Index for purchase transactions increased 2.7 percent compared with October, while the Defect Index for refinance transactions fell by 1.6 percent, its eighth straight month of declining ... Read More

Fraud Loan Application Defect Index

Interviews on CNBC and Yahoo! Finance: 2020 Housing Outlook – Why Persistently Low Mortgage Rates May Help and Hurt Home Buyers

By FirstAm Editor on December 23, 2019
First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming was interviewed on CNBC and Yahoo! Finance last week, discussing the 2020 outlook for the housing market and how persistently low mortgage rates may both help and hurt home buyers in the year ahead. Read More

Housing In The News Interest Rates Affordability

What Will Drive House-Buying Power in 2020?

By Mark Fleming on December 20, 2019
Affordability improved in October as two of the three key drivers of the Real House Price Index (RHPI), household income and mortgage rates, modestly swung in favor of increased affordability relative to one year ago. The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage fell by 1.1 percentage points and household income increased 2.6 percent compared with October ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability