Housing market potential strengthened again last month, according to our Potential Home Sales Model, despite significant supply headwinds. In May, housing market potential increased 0.8 percent compared with April, and is now nearly 23 percent higher than the pandemic-driven decline last May. Relative to two years ago, housing market potential is ... Read More ›

Housing market potential regained strength in the month of April, according to our Potential Home Sales Model. In April, housing market potential increased 1.3 percent compared with March, and is now nearly 30 percent higher than the pandemic-driven collapse last April. Relative to two years ago, housing market potential is 16.7 percent higher and ... Read More ›

Following the rapid contraction in U.S. economic activity because of the outbreak of COVID-19, millions of Americans took advantage of payment suspension and mortgage forbearance programs. At the peak in June 2020, approximately 4.3 million homeowners were in forbearance plans. A year into the pandemic, and that number has declined to ... Read More ›

After hitting its highest point since 2007 last month, housing market potential fell modestly in March, according to our Potential Home Sales Model. Housing market potential remains near the 13-year high point, but the severely limited supply of homes for sale and an uptick in mortgage rates pulled market potential for existing-home sales off its ... Read More ›

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the median renter experienced a 10 percent boost to their house-buying power relative to one year ago, but the share of homes they could afford to buy declined by 4 percentage points due to rising house prices, according to the First-Time Home Buyer Outlook Report. However, while we recently examined affordability ... Read More ›

In February 2021, housing market potential increased to its highest level since 2007, despite the largest month-over-month jump in mortgage rates since October 2019. Housing market potential rose 1.3 percent in February relative to the previous month, and 12.2 percent year-over-year. While rising average tenure length was the largest drag on ... Read More ›