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 Unexpected Surprise Boosting Demand and Supply in 2019

By Mark Fleming on June 18, 2019
In late 2018, many experts believed the housing market in 2019 would behave very similar to the 2018 housing market, characterized by rising demand for homes and limited supply driving house price appreciation, while mortgage rates continued their steady ascent. Then, December 2018 brought a sudden drop in mortgage rates, a decline which has ... Read More

Housing Interest Rates Millennials Real Estate Sentiment Index

Top 10 Cities with the Largest Supply of Affordable Homes for First-Time Home Buyers

By Odeta Kushi on June 13, 2019
Faced with often misleading affordability metrics and seemingly challenging housing market dynamics, many renters may underestimate their house-buying power and the supply of homes in their market that they can afford. Potential first-time home buyers can benefit from a more targeted examination of affordability, which begins by accurately ... Read More

Affordability First-Time Home Buyer Outlook Report

Expect the Unexpected -- Faster House Price Appreciation

By Mark Fleming on June 6, 2019
In our most recent Potential Home Sales Model analysis, we noted that the housing market’s potential improved in April because falling mortgage rates and rising household income combined to increase consumer house-buying power more than enough than to offset house price appreciation. In other words, house-buying power won the tug of war with house ... Read More

Real House Price Index Affordability

How Lower Mortgage Rates Helped Reduce Defect Risk for the First Time in Eight Months

By Mark Fleming on May 31, 2019
The frequency of defects, fraudulence and misrepresentation in the information submitted in mortgage loan applications declined 4.2 percent compared to last month. Notably, this marks the first month-over-month decline since July 2018, thanks to lower mortgage rates. Decreasing mortgage rates contributed to an increase in inventory, reducing the ... Read More

Fraud Loan Application Defect Index

Why Did Affordability Improve for the First Time Since 2016?

By Mark Fleming on May 28, 2019
What began as a modest shift toward a buyers’ market in six cities last month has expanded into a national shift in affordability. The shift is a departure from the long-term trend in the Real House Price Index (RHPI), which had been steadily increasing throughout the rising mortgage rate environment that began in 2017 and continued until late ... Read More

Real House Price Index

Interviews on Yahoo! Finance and Nightly Business Report: Discussing existing-home sales, the housing supply squeeze and the market forces helping affordability

By FirstAm Editor on May 24, 2019
First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming was interviewed on Yahoo! Finance and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi on Nightly Business Report earlier this week and discussed the existing-home sales data for April, the housing supply squeeze and the market forces helping affordability. Read More

Housing In The News Interest Rates Affordability