Following the rapid contraction in U.S. economic activity as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, the unemployment rate spiked to 14.4 percent in April and remained elevated in May (13.0 percent), setting the mark for the two highest recorded rates in the post-World War II era. Despite the federal foreclosure moratorium, there were fears that up ... Read More ›

First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming was interviewed on Yahoo! Finance earlier this month, discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the housing market and mortgage rates dropping below 3 percent for the first time ever. Read More ›

Examining critical lifestyle, societal and economic trends can provide a strong indication of the likelihood of owning a home and, in turn, potential homeownership demand. This is the fundamental concept behind our annual Homeownership Progress Index (HPRI). Understanding these forces and tracking how they change over time allows us to measure ... Read More ›

As we navigate the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, home has taken on added significance and there are signs that homeownership remains one of the main tenets of the American Dream. After hitting a bottom in the second week of April, mortgage applications to purchase a home increased for nine consecutive weeks, even exceeding levels from a year ... Read More ›

As we enter National Homeownership Month, it’s important to reflect on the long-term trends in one of the main tenets of the American Dream. Following an overall decline in homeownership in the aftermath of the Great Recession to a low point of 63 percent in 2016, the homeownership rate has rebounded significantly to 65 percent in 2019. ... Read More ›

In April, pandemic-related pressure drove the supply of homes for sale to its lowest April supply level ever. Even in the years prior to the pandemic, the lack of housing supply for sale was a significant headwind to the housing market. A major reason for the lack of homes for sale is increasing tenure – the length of time a homeowner lives in ... Read More ›