The 2019 housing market turned out to be surprisingly strong, driven by a variety of favorable dynamics. Millennial-driven, first-time home buyer demand continued to rise, the economy reached its longest expansion in U.S. history in the third quarter of 2019, and rising wages pushed household incomes higher. Mortgage rates, which began their ... Read More ›

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 ›

Throughout 2018, we’ve seen many trends that set the groundwork for the acceleration of financial technology (fintech) adoption. It has been a strong seller’s market across the top U.S. metropolitan areas. With inventory low and house prices at historic highs, prospective home buyers felt pressured to settle deals quickly before opportunities fade ... Read More ›

Given the strong likelihood of rising mortgage rates in 2018, many savvy real estate market observers are curious how rising rates may impact demand, especially among millennial first-time home buyers. As part of our quarterly First American Real Estate Sentiment Index (RESI), we recently surveyed title insurance agents and real estate ... Read More ›

The impact of the new tax code on the housing market has been heavily studied and debated in academic, policy and political circles, with most agreeing that the changes remove any significant tax differences between homeowners and renters for the majority of U.S. households. But, what do the people handling real estate transactions every day think? Read More ›

We invite you to browse the fourth quarter 2017 First American Real Estate Sentiment Index, which is based on a quarterly survey of independent title agents and other real estate professionals, providing a unique gauge on the real estate market using the crowd-sourced wisdom and expertise of real estate experts. Read More ›