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Is a Recession Here? Yes. Does that Mean a Housing Crash? No.
On Monday, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) announced that the U.S. economy is officially in a recession. This did not come as a surprise to many, as the Bureau defines a recession this way: “A recession is a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, normally visible in production, employment, and other indicators. A recession begins when the economy reaches a peak of economic activity and ends when the economy reaches its trough. Between trough and peak, the economy is in an expansion.” Everyone realizes that the pandemic shut down the country earlier this year, causing a “significant decline in economic activity.” Though not surprising, headlines announcing the country is in a…
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Real Estate Will Lead the Economic Recovery
With more U.S. states reopening for business this summer, and as people start to return to work, we can expect the economy to begin improving. Most expert forecasts indicate this economic recovery will start to happen in the second half of this year. As we get back to work and the financial landscape of the country begins to turn around, many experts also agree that real estate has the potential to lead the way in the recovery process. According to Ivy Zelman of Zelman & Associates: “Housing will fare better than expected during this severe downturn.” In addition, CNBC notes: “Mortgage demand from home buyers shows unexpectedly strong and quick recovery…The quick recovery has surprised…
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The Shocking News in the Unemployment Report
Last Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released their May Employment Situation Summary. Leading up to the release, most experts predicted the unemployment rate would jump up to approximately 20% from the 14.7% rate announced last month. The experts were shocked. The Wall Street Journal put it this way: “The May U.S. jobless rate fell to 13.3% and employers added 2.5 million jobs, blowing Wall Street expectations out of the water: Economists had forecast a loss of 8.3 million jobs and a 19.5% unemployment rate.” In addition, CNBC revealed: “The May gain was by far the biggest one-month jobs surge in U.S. history since at least 1939.” Here are some of the job gains by sector: Food…
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National Homeownership Month [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights National Homeownership Month is a great time to reflect on how we can each promote stronger community growth. Homeownership helps families build financial freedom, find greater happiness and satisfaction, and make a positive impact on our local communities. Let’s connect today if homeownership is part of your future plans.
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Three Things to Understand About Unemployment Statistics
Tomorrow morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the latest Employment Situation Summary, which will include the most current unemployment rate. It will be a horrific number. Many analysts believe unemployment could be greater than 20%. These numbers represent families across the nation that are not sure when (or if) they will return to work. The emotional impact on these households is devastating. There are, however, some small rays of light shining through on this issue. Here are three: 1. The actual number of unemployed is less than many are reporting The number of people unemployed is sometimes over-exaggerated. It seems that every newscaster talks about the 40+ million people “currently” unemployed.…
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Is it Time to Sell Your Vacation Home?
The travel industry is one of the major sectors that’s been hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, it’s hard to know how long it will take for summer travelers to be back in action and for the industry to fully recover. Homeowners who rent their secondary properties on their own or through programs like Airbnb, which has over 660,000 listings in the U.S. alone, have been impacted in this challenging time. Some of these homeowners are considering selling their vacation homes, and understandably so. A recent CNN article indicated: “With global travel screeching to a halt during the pandemic, a number of Airbnb hosts are planning to sell their properties…These desperate moves come as…
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Home Prices: It’s All About Supply and Demand
As we enter the summer months and work through the challenges associated with the current health crisis, many are wondering what impact the economic slowdown will have on home prices. Looking at the big picture, supply and demand will give us the clearest idea of what’s to come. Making our way through the month of June and entering the second half of the year, we face an undersupply of homes on the market. Keep in mind, this undersupply is going to vary by location and by price point. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), across the country, we currently have a 4.1 months supply of homes on the market. Historically, 6 months…
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The Benefits of Homeownership May Reach Further Than You Think
More than ever, our homes have become an integral part of our lives. Today they are much more than the houses we live in. They’re evolving into our workplaces, schools for our children, and safe havens that provide shelter, stability, and protection for our families through the evolving health crisis. Today, 65.3% of Americans are able to call their homes their own, a rate that has risen to its highest point in 8 years. June is National Homeownership Month, and it’s a great time to reflect on the benefits of owning your own home. Below are some highlights and quotes recently shared by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). From non-financial to financial, and even including how…
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Top Reasons to Own Your Home [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights June is National Homeownership Month, and it’s a great time to consider the benefits of owning your own home. If you’re in a position to buy, homeownership might help you find the stability, community, and comfort you’ve been searching for this year. Let’s connect today to determine if homeownership is the right next step for you and your family.
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Economists Forecast Recovery to Begin in the Second Half of 2020
With the U.S. economy on everyone’s minds right now, questions about the country’s financial outlook continue to come up daily. The one that seems to keep rising to the top is: when will the economy begin to recover? While no one knows exactly how a rebound will play out, expert economists around the country are becoming more aligned on when the recovery will begin. According to the latest Wall Street Journal Economic Forecasting Survey, which polls more than 60 economists on a monthly basis, 85.3% believe a recovery will begin in the second half of 2020 (see graph below):There seems to be a growing consensus among these experts that the second half of this year will be…
