The importance of measuring housing affordability is paramount. Homeownership is synonymous with the American Dream and all of the wealth-building benefits that it provides, and housing is the single largest monthly expense for most households. Yet, there are many ways to measure the affordability of housing. Read More ›

First American’s proprietary Real House Price Index (RHPI) looks at May 2016 data and includes analysis from First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming explaining the forces behind the continued low mortgage rate environment and the impact on consumer house-buying power. Read More ›

With the national conventions for the major political parties upon us and the presidential election just a few months away, talk of red versus blue states frequently bubbles up in the media and at the water cooler. Cutting-edge statistical analysis is regularly updated to keep up with the fast changing dynamics of the country’s political leanings. Read More ›

The second edition of First American’s proprietary Real House Price Index (RHPI) looks at April 2016 data and includes analysis from First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming explaining the connection between “Brexit” and recent trends in rates for fixed-rate mortgages. Read More ›

With the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting this week, many are wondering if an interest rate hike is in the works. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the current market expectation of a 0.50 percent rate increase in June is extremely low – 4 percent. However, the likelihood jumps to 27 percent in July. But, whether the Fed ... Read More ›

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 ›