Why do consumers keep spending and how does this impact real estate

Why do consumers keep spending and how does this impact real estate

According to a recent Federal Reserve Report, fourteen million mortgages were refinanced during the COVID refinance boom, and these refinances will have effects on the mortgage market, real estate, and the general economy for years to come. An astonishing 430 billion...
Rising Rates increase Distressed Homeowners. Regulators have a fix.

Rising Rates increase Distressed Homeowners. Regulators have a fix.

I always cringe when I see a press release that “regulators” have a solution!  FHA has yet another new proposal that sounds great on the surface, but as typical misses some very important items that will cost taxpayers millions or considerably more as government...
Wages continue higher, productivity falls fastest in 75 years, impact on real estate, inflation, and rates

Wages continue higher, productivity falls fastest in 75 years, impact on real estate, inflation, and rates

US labor productivity tumbled by 7.5% in the first quarter of 2023 – the largest decline in worker output per hour since 1947, according to Labor Department data released Thursday.  What does declining productivity mean for interest rates, commercial and residential...
Hot inflation puts further rate hike in play, impact on real estate

Hot inflation puts further rate hike in play, impact on real estate

Although the market rejoiced in the recent fed “skip”, as you dig into the numbers more the outcome is a lot less sanguine.  Why does inflation continue running hotter than anticipated?  What does this mean for interest rates and real estate?  What happens when...
New government rule radically changes appraisals

New government rule radically changes appraisals

Big changes are ahead for automated appraisals.  The government feels that automated models show bias in valuation so they have proposed a new rule that will radically alter appraisals.  Unfortunately, the new rules will have some large unintended consequences for...