Bitcoin has had a wild ride, declining over 50% in over a month plummeting from a high of 120k to 60k. Check out the chart above. Why the sudden drop in cryptocurrencies? What does this mean for real estate prices? Looking at the chart below, how will interest...
how will real estate prices be impacted by falling stocks
When stocks fall, what happens to real estate? Analysis of market sell-offs, debt and recession indicators and their effect on property prices.
Has the economy lost its mind
As I was walking on a snow covered trail, I found a blaze orange sweatshirt. WTF, who loses something like this and doesn’t even notice? It made me start thinking, has the person lost their mind? Has the economy lost its mind? Look at three charts below: Gold,...
Phantom debt soars, what does this mean for real estate? (2025 update)
Consumer spending in the world’s largest economy has been so resilient in the face of stubbornly high inflation that economists and traders have had to repeatedly rip up their forecasts for slowing growth and interest-rate cuts. How are consumers still spending...
My recession indicator flashing green: ready for bulls or bears
Are the bulls running or are the bears coming? Any business media you pick up is harping on the idea of a “recession watch” and the economy is basically coming to an end! On the flip side my proprietary lending data is giving me a radically different answer. What...
Year of the elk, are you ready
The above is a picture of my windshield after a chance early morning encounter with an elk; I walked away while my car was basically totaled. Why is 2025 the year of the elk as elk should typically be the least of your worries? What does this mean for the upcoming...
Phantom debt soars, what does this mean for real estate?
Consumer spending in the world’s largest economy has been so resilient in the face of stubbornly high inflation that economists and traders have had to repeatedly rip up their forecasts for slowing growth and interest-rate cuts. Is Phantom Debt driving consumer...
Shortage of homes will keep prices high… think again; Is there really even a shortage?
I just saw an article on CNBC with the headline: America is short 5 million houses. The media is proclaiming a housing crisis throughout the country due to the shortage. Ironically at the same time the US has hit a record for the slowest population growth in the...
House prices hit another record, what is now driving house prices?
It is astonishing that house prices continue higher in the face of high interest rates and a slowing economy. The media keeps pinning the continued appreciation on lack of supply even while listings in places like Denver have jumped 33% year over year. What is...
Warning sign? sales drop 34%, impact on real estate
The economy is currently in a “transition” phase. To determine if the sun is setting on our current cycle, it is critical to watch for leading indicators of where we might be heading. One of the strongest predictors of a recession is consumer purchases of one...
Why are home prices rising while mortgage rates stay high?
It is a bit perplexing; mortgage rates are over 7%, well over double their lows, and yet real estate prices are once again heading higher after a minor pullback late last year. Prices have pivoted from last fall to make a strong comeback and approach new highs. What...
Interest rates jump again, are they really going to decline this year?
As suspected the March consumer price index came in hotter than expected which should be no surprise to anyone buying groceries, going out to eat, or traveling, everything is considerably more expensive and there continues to be insatiable demand. What does this mean...
Will mortgage rates fall significantly in 2024?
When I was writing this article rates were hovering right around 7%. At the same time economists are predicting a sharp decline in mortgage rates and a booming 2024 real estate market. On the other hand, the chart above shows a much different picture. Where do...
CPI falls, Fed likely done raising
What does the recent CPI fall mean for mortgage rates and real estate prices? A broad slowdown in inflation continued in October, likely ending the Federal Reserve’s historic interest rate increases. The slowdown came below most median estimates and the...
16 percent drop in Luxury spending, I created a model to predict when real estate prices will fall.
In the past recessions, especially in 2008, just prior to the crash we saw a big pull back in luxury purchases. This was an early indicator of huge drops in real estate prices. Currently we are seeing a resounding change in luxury spending, does this mean luxury...
Soft Landing, Hard landing, does it even matter for real estate?
Earlier in the year most economists and myself predicted a recession by now, but the cards have changed with most now predicting the opposite, a soft landing. What is a soft landing? Is a soft or hard landing better for real estate? Does it really matter which...
Home Depot slides, house prices stabilize, consumers will keep spending
Interesting times we are in. Consumers keep spending big on services like travel and eating out, but on the flip side Home Depot just reported its first drop since the pandemic. On the other hand Target tops earnings estimates. What is driving the continued...
Real Estate Market continues outperforming, what time period are we beginning to resemble?
Although the spring real estate market has slowed drastically from the pandemic days, the bottom has not fallen out. Quite the opposite has occurred, in suburban markets and sunbelt cities, real estate keeps charging higher. A good example is Boulder, CO, a...
Inflation remains sticky, will interest rates remain high, can the fed achieve a soft landing?
Inflation continues to stick around with core CPI running near record highs. This will keep the federal reserve on a likely path to hike rates once again in May. What does this mean for interest rates and real estate? What happens when interest rates finally...
60k laid off, The middle is squeezed how will this impact Real estate and the recovery
Purchasing power from paychecks fell 2.9% for middle-income households in 2022 compared with 2021, while rising 1.5% for the bottom fifth of households and 1.1% for the top, according to the Congressional Budget Office study. Furthermore, nearly 40 percent of...
Mortgage demand plunges 13.2% to end 2022, are higher interest rates the only culprit
The market currently has a fixation on interest rates. Essentially whatever interest rates do the market reacts accordingly. For example if rates rise, sales fall and vice versa. Are rates really the driver of the slow down in real estate sales? If rates...
Global Property Market Faces $175 Billion Debt Spiral: This cycle is different
I rarely say that Covid caused radical changes in behavior but the commercial property sector is bucking this trend. This is not because of return to office or lack thereof, but leverage and the central bank. In every cycle in recent memory as the economy started to...
Commercial property prices slide 13% from peak, biggest since 08, where do prices go from here?
US commercial real estate prices have plunged 13% from a peak this year, the biggest drop since the global financial crisis of 2008. What is causing the decline in commercial property prices. Is this a blip or will the slide in commercial property prices worsen in...
2023 real estate predictions: Mortgage rates come off their highs. Does a recession happen in 23?
I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season. Before getting into my predictions for next year, there are three crucial factors to discuss that will shape the real estate market in 2023 and beyond: Interest rates, inflation, and consumer sentiment. All three are...
National Association of Realtors predicts rising prices in 2023; fed predicts drop
In 2023, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun expects home sales to decline by 7%, while the national median home price will increase by 1% in his recent 2023 market update. On the flip side the most recent federal reserve economic commentary classifies the current...


























