Banks Report Unchanged Home Lending Standards

By Housing
In the second quarter iteration of the Federal Reserve Board’s Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS) on Bank Lending Practices, banks reported largely unchanged lending standards across all residential real estate (RRE) loans. Major net shares of banks reported weaker demand for most RRE loans except for home equity lines of credit, for which a significant net share of banks… Read More ›

Buyers’ Expectations of Housing Availability Improve

By Housing
For the first time since 2020, prospective buyers expect housing availability to improve.  After falling steadily for five quarters, the share expecting the home search to get easier in the months ahead grew from 17% to 22% between the first and second quarters of 2022.  Less competition from buyers priced-out of the market by recent increases in mortgage rates is… Read More ›

Inflation Causes Real Disposable Income to Slip in June

By Housing
The most recent data release from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed that personal income increased 0.6% in June, making its ninth monthly increase in the past 12 months. Gains in personal income are largely driven by increases in compensation of employees and proprietors’ income. Real disposable income, income remaining after adjusted for taxes and inflation, decreased 0.3% in… Read More ›

Some Buyers Turning to New Construction

By Housing
After falling steadily for five quarters, the popularity of new homes rebounded in the second quarter of 2022, as 21% of prospective buyers reported looking for a newly-built home – up from 19% a quarter earlier.  A possible reason for this pivot is the recent growth in the inventory of new homes for-sale, while the supply of existing homes on… Read More ›

The Second Quarter of Negative Growth: A Recession?

By Housing
The U.S. economy definitively slowed in the first half of 2022 as the Federal Reserve tightened financial conditions. Real GDP fell for the second straight quarter, while the Fed raised interest rates by 75 basis points for the second consecutive month to reduce inflation pressure. Despite these negative elements, the job market remained solid amid inflation concerns and growing recession… Read More ›