Why are house prices so high and will they stay high?

Why are house prices so high and will they stay high?

  Anytime you turn on the news  you hear about high house prices and that the culprit is that supply has not kept up with demand.  Is supply really the main culprit of housing prices or did something else that occurred during Covid radically alter the market? ...
One metric for risk is off the charts, impact on real estate

One metric for risk is off the charts, impact on real estate

  It is interesting that the market continues to focus on interest rates and employment as the barometer for the economy while totally ignoring one metric.  As a lender I just did a year end analysis on our portfolio and one metric jumped off the page increasing...
With interest rates dropping 4 reasons there will be a large increase in foreclosures?

With interest rates dropping 4 reasons there will be a large increase in foreclosures?

    The market keeps predicting a goldilocks scenario with 100% certainty where inflation falls without much if any impact on residential real estate.  The “soft landing” will occur at the same time interest rates have skyrocketed and supposedly the consumer...
Realtor lawsuits, what happens now?

Realtor lawsuits, what happens now?

  There has been a ton of talk regarding the lawsuits against the National Association of realtors, but from a practical perspective what does this mean for the market? Will buyer’s agent commissions be eliminated?  One realtor association is not waiting for more...
Fed reverses course, interest rates fall, my servicing data tells a different story

Fed reverses course, interest rates fall, my servicing data tells a different story

  Although the graph above looks like an old Atari game, it is the Federal reserve dot plot which shows a profound shift.  Ironically, just a few weeks ago the Federal Reserve was touting higher rates for longer.  Now the federal reserve has done a 180 and has...
2024 National Real Estate predictions, will prices continue falling?

2024 National Real Estate predictions, will prices continue falling?

Before getting into my predictions, the chart above is indicative of the mixed signals in the economy. Prices are rising on cardboard due to increased consumer demand. How is demand for cardboard rising if consumer spending is slowing along with inflation?  The answer...