This week a reporter reached out to me with several questions about a new report showing that nearly one-third of U.S. counties are now seriously unaffordable for homebuyers. One question stood out: why aren’t falling home prices making homes more affordable? It’s the right question, and the answer should shape every coaching conversation we have […]
Tag: Market Insights
The Appraisal Just Changed. Who Told Your Agents?
Picture a seller in early November. The appraiser has been in her home for ninety minutes. He’s measuring rooms with a laser scanner and photographing the kids’ bedrooms, the home office, the medication on the kitchen counter. She calls her agent. “Is this normal? Where do these photos go?” Her agent has no idea. That […]
How’s The Real Estate Market?
Market data as of May 2026. For the latest numbers in your area, see my live Altos Research market report. Strategy Over Statistics: Becoming the Leader of Choice Data is everywhere, but clarity is scarce. My goal for today’s blog is to provide the insights your team can leverage to bridge the “Expectation Gap” with […]
The “Floor of Truth” and the Broken Rules of 2026
Leaders and Students, As I was listening to the Fed statement this week, my ears perked up. As many of you know, my daily reality is a bit of a balancing act. Besides being the Managing Partner of a real estate staffing firm and a licensed CA real estate broker, I teach these concepts at […]
Two Executive Orders on Housing & Mortgage Credit
The President signed two executive orders on Friday targeting America’s housing affordability crunch: one aimed at making it easier and cheaper to build homes, the other at getting more lenders back into the mortgage market. Order #1: “Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction” The Core Issue Red tape is expensive. Regulatory costs account for […]
What happened in the US Senate today: the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in an 89–10 vote
A few of my readers have asked me to re-cap what happened in the U.S. Senate today. Here is my take: On March 12, 2026, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in an 89–10 vote. This landmark bipartisan legislation led by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) and Ranking Member Elizabeth […]
The 2035 Pivot: How to Trade “Growth” for “Utility”
Recently, I posted about the Great Deceleration, that demographic shift coming between 2035 and 2045 where household formation drops to a century-level low. If you missed it, the punchline is simple: the “more people more houses” engine that has powered our industry for 70 years is finally running out of gas. So, I’ve been thinking: If […]
One National Market, Many Different Realities
Market data as of February 2026. For the latest numbers in your area, see my live Altos Research market report. There is no national real estate market in 2026. There are many, and they are local. The Sun Belt Boom has fragmented. The Coastal Strongholds are resurging. And the notion that a single headline number […]
Data vs. Drama: Direct from the Chief Economist’s Desk
Market data as of February 2026. For the latest numbers in your area, see my live Altos Research market report. I spent time recently with Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, along with my undergraduate and graduate real estate students. While the headlines are busy chasing clicks, Lawrence and I dug into […]
The “Quarter-Point” Ripple: How 0.25% Moves the Housing Market
Market data as of January 2026. For the latest numbers in your area, see my live Altos Research market report. If you have been following the news, you have likely seen the conversation that follows every Federal Reserve meeting. But there is a massive misconception in the headlines: most people think the Fed “sets” mortgage […]