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...
This chart should scare you; is the mortgage market in for a 2008 wreck; average down not even close to 20%
The federal government in their quest to shore up the mortgage market in 2008 has created some new risks to the housing market. Non bank lenders now make up 74% of the origination volume with only 3 banks even making the list. What does this mean for the mortgage...
A “reckoning” is due. Atlanta overvalued by 58%, Denver by 39%
“A reckoning is due. Home prices and rents can’t separate as significantly as they have from their long-term fundamental trends without major issues arising in the marketplace,” said Ken Johnson, an economist at Florida Atlantic University, in an analysis. “Few...
Commercial property sales plunge 16%, what are the bright spots?
Commercial real estate is showing the first signs of cooling in more than a year, disrupted by rising interest rates that are already causing some deals to collapse. What is causing the quick change in fortunes in commercial real estate? How will the recent fed...
Rates cross 6%, what can the 90s tell us about the next real estate cycle?
Most economists are convinced that there will be a recession soon, although nobody knows whether it is 3,6 or 12 months away. The good news is that this recession should not be a repeat of 2008. Which prior cycle will the next recession likely represent? Will it...
Fed hits brakes hard, largest increase since 94, Mortgage rates surge 6.3%, not all real estate is impacted equally
All I can say is wow. On a dime, the real estate market changed overnight. I was predicting mortgage rates around 6% over the course of the year. The change happened in one day with rates easily cresting 6.3%! What does this big surge in interest rates mean to real...
US housing prices surge as high as 35%, will this trend continue?
While in other countries real estate is slowing, home price growth in 20 US cities picked up for the fourth straight month with Tampa, Florida, showing the biggest gains. March's reading was the highest year-over-year price change in more than 35 years of data, with...
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...
Foreclosure activity on the rise: Where are the highest concentrations?
ATTOM’s just released January 2022 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report shows there were a total of 23,204 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings reported in January 2022. That figure is up 29 percent from December 2021 and 139 percent from January 2021. Will we see a...
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 Mae predicts recession in 2023, and big changes to housing and interest rates
Fannie Mae, the largest buyer of mortgages in the US, just made some bold predictions about not only housing, but an upcoming recession. Their new predictions are a rapid departure from just a few months ago. What does Fannie Mae predict for the economy and housing?...
Real estate has reached an inflection point, 3 indicators that the peak has passed
As mortgage rates have easily breached 5% (last I checked they were at 5.25%), there is a drastic change in real estate that is just beginning to rear its head. At the same time inventory is starting to increase and loan volumes have plummeted. What is the big...
Interest rates soar; property prices continue to rise; Game of Musical chairs has stopped
The average time someone spends in a home has increased from 8.7 years in 2010 to over 13 years in 2020; a whopping 50% increase. How is this impacting house prices? What caused the “break” in the game of musical chairs leading to the inventory shortage? How are...
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...
Used car prices predicted to drop 30%, when? Impact on economy and real estate
Who would have ever thought that used car prices would increase? A 10 year old car has appreciated 94% since the pandemic supply chain woes occurred. Unfortunately, what goes up will come down. When will the used car bubble pop? Why is the outcome of the auto...
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...
Shortage of homes will keep prices high… think again; Is there really a shortage?
I just saw an article on CNBC with the headline: America is short 5 million houses and the media is proclaiming a housing crisis throughout the country due to a historic shortage. Ironically at the same time the US has hit a record for the slowest population growth...
Zillow’s predictions in 2022 show house price surge of 25%, how accurate are there predictions?
According to Zillow, house prices will continue to skyrocket in 2022 with hot markets posting gains of 25% plus. What factors are driving these predictions? How accurate are Zillow's 2022 predictions for appreciation? How does Zillow’s estimates compare with the...
Buy now pay later included on credit reports, impact on real estate financing
Buy now pay later included on credit reports, impact on real estate financing Buy now Pay Later loans are a million-dollar industry and yet until now these loans were invisible to lenders. This is all changing as Equifax is now adding buy now pay later payments to...
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...
Zillow stops buying houses: red flags for housing market
Zillow claims that ‘operational capacity constraints’ has caused the hiccup in its home-buying business, but some analysts argue that bigger issues may be afoot. Why is Zillow abruptly pulling back from their ibuyer program after recently announcing a huge funding...
Best Counties to invest in real estate; Follow the blue?
No, I’m not talking about democrats vs. republicans. I am talking about the actual color blue! Regardless of your political affiliations, I would recommend you only invest in areas on the map that are blue. The Brookings institute developed a map ranking the...























