Harder for Borrowers to Secure a Loan in February, Credit Availability Hits record low

Harder for Borrowers to Secure a Loan in February, Credit Availability Hits record low

As a private lender, my call volume and closings the first quarter have been off the charts as borrowers fall out of more conventional products.  This trend is now playing out with the Mortgage Credit Availability Index showing substantial tightening of credit for all...
Blowout jobs report; mortgage rates to jump again; Is 8% on the horizon?

Blowout jobs report; mortgage rates to jump again; Is 8% on the horizon?

Wow, a few weeks ago rates had fallen from a peak of over 7% to almost 6%. Unfortunately the party was short lived as rates are now heading much higher.  The recent jobs report was another blow out upping the odds of another half point increase at the next Fed...
Mortgage demand plunges 13.2% to end 2022, are higher interest rates the only culprit

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

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?

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?

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...