Interviews on CNBC and Nightly Business Report: Discussing the Refinance Boom and Tailwinds Boosting the Housing Market

By FirstAm Editor on September 3, 2019
First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming was interviewed on CNBC and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi was interviewed on Nightly Business Report last week, where they discussed the refinance boom driven by low mortgage rates and the tailwinds boosting the housing market. Read More

Housing In The News Interest Rates Federal Reserve Affordability

How Can Affordability Improve When House Prices are Rising?

By Mark Fleming on August 27, 2019
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 June. The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage fell by 0.8 percentage points and household income increased 2.4 percent compared with June 2018. When household income rises, consumer house-buying power ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

Interviews on CNBC and Bloomberg TV: Discussing the Impact of Historically Low Rates and the Outlook for the Housing Market and the Economy

By FirstAm Editor on August 23, 2019
First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming was interviewed on CNBC and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi on Bloomberg TV earlier this week and discussed the impact of historically low rates on the housing market, and what the Fed minutes indicate about the direction of rate policy and the economy. Read More

Housing In The News Interest Rates Federal Reserve Affordability

Dispelling the Myth of the 20 Percent Down Payment

By Odeta Kushi on August 6, 2019
Since hitting a low point of 63 percent in 2016, the homeownership rate has rebounded, largely driven by millennial households purchasing their first homes. Many surveys, like one by Bank of the West, indicate that millennials are no different from previous generations – they view homeownership as a main tenet of the American Dream. Read More

Millennials Affordability Homeownership

How Has the Housing Market Changed Since the End of the Great Recession?

By Odeta Kushi on July 3, 2019
June marked the 10-year anniversary of the end of the Great Recession. Amid Independence Day celebrations, assessing how the American dream of homeownership has fared since the recession can provide helpful context for the health of today’s housing market. We have assembled a set of housing metrics and compared their values today with what those ... Read More

Homeownership Progress Index Real House Price Index Affordability Homeownership

Interview on CNBC: Discussing the Outlook for Mortgage Rates and Impact of Rising Tenure Length on Housing Supply

By FirstAm Editor on June 25, 2019
First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming was interviewed on CNBC last week and discussed the outlook for mortgage rates and the impact of rising tenure length on housing supply. Read More

Housing In The News Interest Rates Affordability