Category Archives: Housing

What Interest Rates Are Declining?

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner FRED30yr The average 30-year fixed rate conforming mortgage has declined almost one percent since November 2022 to the current 6.12 percent as of February 2023, per the St. Louis Fed. The housing sector has been a leading … Continue reading →

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Housing Market Swoon–Part II

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner CalculatedRisk Despite improved builder sentiments, privately‐owned housing starts were down in December at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,382,000. This is 1.4 percent below the revised November estimate of 1,401,000 and is 21.8 percent below the December … Continue reading →

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Fourth Quarter Showing Stronger Growth

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs AtlantaGDPNow What are we to make of a predicted jump in fourth quarter GDP growth? The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow prediction of Q4 growth was just increased to 3.5 percent and had been creeping upward as more positive economic … Continue reading →

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Housing Market Swoons

Posted on December 21, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Confidence among U.S. single-family home builders fell for a record 12th straight month in December as even a scramble to offer incentives for prospective buyers failed to boost traffic and lift sales in today’s high-inflation, high-interest rate … Continue reading →

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Consumer Sentiments Rising As Inflation Declines

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner UnivMichigan Consumers are feeling more optimistic, and it’s probably because they are seeing price rises beginning to moderate and prices decline in some areas. The University of Michigan reported in its preliminary sentiment survey for December that … Continue reading →

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Record Amount Housing Under Construction

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Calculated Risk There are a record number of housing units under construction, in part because of pandemic delays in construction (e.g., material shortages), but also because home sales have fallen sharply since the Fed’s rate hikes. This … Continue reading →

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Third Quarter Growth Turns Positive

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly BEA.gov The U.S. economy grew 2.6 percent in the third quarter due to exploding exports and declining imports after two quarters of negative growth from the aftereffects of the pandemic, and record GDP growth in 2021. ‘The … Continue reading →

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Homebuilders Losing Confidence

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Calculated Risk Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes dropped eight points in October to 38—half the level it was just six months ago—according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing … Continue reading →

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Inflation Already Declining!

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner AtlantaGDPNow The Atlanta Federal Reserve has just upped their estimate of Q3 economic growth to +2.9 percent after two quarters of negative growth. Why are they thinking that economic growth will resume when the Fed says it … Continue reading →

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Developing a Livable Community

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

Answering Kennedy’s Call What are the requirements for a livable community? As recently as 2005, the Institute of American Architects said that “. . . broadly speaking, a livable community recognizes its own unique identity and places a high value … Continue reading →

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