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...
Year of the Bear, are you ready for 2023 and a 20% decline, what happens to interest rates, economy, etc…
Since Covid it seems like traditional patterns have been broken. I hear time and time again that X or Y is different and there have been fundamental changes. Is this true, is everything “radically” different now? Is a bear walking around in the snow a sign (zoom in...
Consumer debt soars to the highest on record, why is this good and bad news for real estate
The federal reserve bank of NY recently published a report showing consumer debt jumping to the highest levels ever recorded with every category growing from mortgages, autos, credit cards, lines of credit, etc… Is some consumer debt better/worse than others for the...
Will the golden handcuffs of low rates save real estate in this cycle?
The prevailing theory is that this real estate cycle will be considerably better than others as so many people locked in rock bottom rates which will serve as “golden handcuffs” and prevent a meaningful increase in inventory. How accurate is this theory? What is the...
30 year fixed crosses 7%, is this the real story? Prices fall first time in 10 years.
A few weeks ago, the big news was 6% rates and now everyone suddenly woke up with stocks crashing and yields soaring to new highs and rates jumping again. What does this mean in the short term for interest rates? Is focusing on the 30 year mortgage rate the correct...
Fannie-Mae-sees-dark-days-ahead-for-the-housing-market;
It will get much worse for the housing market and the mortgage industry. That’s the takeaway from a group of economists at Fannie Mae who slashed their forecast for 2022 home sales this week. Federal Reserve chairman Powell recently threw even more cold water on their...
Prices fall 6%, closings slip to lowest since 2015, what does this mean for 22-23?
Home values slipped for the second consecutive month as mortgage costs continue to sideline buyers. From June through August, prices usually decline about 2%, but this year they have fallen about 6%. At the same time, mortgage rates hit highs of around 6.4%. ...
Where is inflation heading and why? What does this mean for real estate?
Once again, the recent CPI report came in much higher than expected. Why did the market drastically miss this prediction? I’m not even an economist and figured out months ago inflation would be higher for longer as everything I buy from groceries, dining out,...
Blackstone halts purchases in 38 cities, Ibuyers slam on the brakes
Wow, what a difference a few months makes. Earlier in the summer, basically any property with 4 walls had multiple offers and prices were on a tear. Fast Forward a few months and Blackstone, one of the largest buyers of residential rental homes, is pausing...
Mortgage demand plunges 83%, will we see a rebound in 2023?
The National Association of Realtors predicts sales to rise again throughout 2023. At the same time, demand for mortgage refinances are down 83% from a year ago. Applications for a loan to purchase a home were 18% lower than the same week one year ago. Signed...
Ready for a 30% drop in housing demand? Will tight supply really prop up the market?
The federal reserve did an analysis of what has led to the surge in housing prices and has a conclusive answer; the driver of high prices is not that we don’t have enough houses as the media has been claiming. What is the real culprit behind soaring prices? Is there...
Haircut prices surge, what does this mean for real estate prices?
If you haven’t gotten a haircut in a while, you are in for a surprise. Haircut prices like many other services in the economy are experiencing large increases. What does the increase in haircut prices mean for the economy and in turn real estate? Why are haircuts...
Trucking hits the Brakes; what does this mean for real estate?
There has been an unexpectedly sharp downturn in demand to truck everything from food to furniture since the beginning of March and rates in the overheated segment that deals in on-demand trucking jobs - known as the spot market - are skidding. Why are trucking rates...
Prices drop 6%, what comes next? Are you ready for a real estate reset?
One of the world’s bubbliest real estate housing markets is tilting from sellers to buyers with dizzying speed. Canadian home prices fell for the first time in two years as a rapid rise in interest rates looks set to threaten one of the world’s hottest housing...
Inflation slows. Will mortgage rates stabilize or head higher? What does this mean for real estate prices?
Where mortgage rates are heading seems to be the biggest question on everyone’s mind in real estate. As of this writing rates were around 5.821% which is substantially higher than any economists had predicted even a few months ago. What is causing the jump in...
Fed makes colossal mistake. Labor productivity plummets. Are you ready for 6?
The Federal Reserve just raised interest rates .5% as expected. The market originally rallied and then plummeted 5% the next day. The fed made a colossal error and the stock and bond markets are not buying their guidance. What did the fed say at the meeting that...
Fannie/Freddie no longer fund 2nd mortgages; Big changes to mortgage fees on borrowers
The federal housing finance agency (FHFA), the largest buyer of mortgages through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (Fannie/Freddie), announced huge changes to there fee structure. In particular they are targeting high cost loans with big jumps for second...
Mortgage rates hit records, refi drops 60%, sales decline, 25% drop predicted
The swiftness of the changes in the real estate market are astonishing, yet not unexpected. I predicted last year mortgage rates would top 5% and they already have come close. This has led to a 60% drop in refinances and a sharp reduction in sales. What do these...
Redfin plunges 26% in one day and foreshadows 4 trends shaping the 2022 and beyond real estate market.
Redfin plunges 26% in one day and foreshadows 4 trends shaping the 2022 and beyond real estate market. Redfin, the darling of the real estate market the last several years has plunged 45% over the last year. At the same time numerous analysists are downgrading the...
Ukraine invaded; impact on the economy, interest rates, and real estate
Initially when Ukraine was invaded the stock market dropped precipitously over 800 points during the day only to make a huge rebound into positive territory. What does this volatility mean for interest rates and in turn real estate? Does the invasion change the path...
Housing party coming to an end, what does this mean for values; the bears have awoken
Gary Shilling, the author of the Case-Shilling real estate index, accurately predicted the last real estate bust. He has come out with recent predictions that throw a cold towel on how this housing cycle ends. Are we at a bear market or a peak in real estate? Where...
Inflation roars to highest since 1982, mortgage rates jump above 4%, what does this mean for real estate
Inflation plowed ahead at its fastest 12-month pace in nearly 40 years during January and substantially higher than any estimates according to a closely watched gauge the Labor Department released Thursday (CPI). The stock and bond markets are continuing to awaken,...
83% of investors are worried about two items that will impact real estate
Wall Street investors believe inflation will remain a major roadblock for the markets in 2022 and stocks will only see muted returns, according to the new CNBC Delivering Alpha investor survey. What does this mean for interest rates and in turn real estate? What was...
NY and Boise real estate both hitting records, is a ???? brewing
New York City’s housing market is undergoing a powerful rebound, fueled by New Yorkers trading up, out-of-staters moving in, and others looking beyond the pandemic’s aftershocks to make a long-term bet on the city. On the flip side, Boise prices are up 25% year over...

























