Nominal house prices have been increasing nationally in the US for several years, and some markets have seen significant appreciation in nominal house prices. But, nominal house prices are not adjusted for any inflation. The price of a house today is not directly comparable to the price of that same house 30 years ago because of the long-run ... Read More ›

Last week, I posted an analysis of the GSE Conforming loan limit and my expectation for how it might change in 2016. I based the analysis on my interpretation of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA). Specifically, Section 1124 of the law, which states, “If the change in the house price index during the most recent 12-month or 4 ... Read More ›

Not all housing markets are the same, particularly in their path to recovery since the housing market bubble popped almost a decade ago. Measuring the severity and duration of collapse by market and the amount of price recovery to date reinforces that not all housing market recoveries are created equal. Some markets are already better off than ... Read More ›