US Housing Market Update A stronger outlook for house prices? The improvement in housing market activity has not only put a floor under house prices, but, in recent months, has driven them higher. With the big caveat that much depends on how severe the effects... 14th June 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update More homes built for rent to drive further fall in floor space The modest improvement in housing demand combined with recent increases in homebuilder confidence are reasons to think that the fall in average new home floor space should be drawing to an end. But... 31st May 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Foreclosure procedures offer clues to State-level outlook Differences in foreclosure procedures will be one determinant of when State-level housing markets improve. While the national housing market is in the early stages of a recovery, many of the judicial... 18th May 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Two leading indicators that reinforce price stabilisation picture The short histories of US house price expectations and asking price data mean that their ability to give an early steer on house price movements is relatively untested. Nevertheless, the fact that... 26th April 2012 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed content to play waiting game The statement issued today after the two-day FOMC meeting indicates that the majority of Fed officials are content to wait and see how the US recovery develops. In particular, the statement reaffirmed... 25th April 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Lumber prices don’t undermine case for construction recovery The lack of a significant rise in lumber prices does not suggest that the nascent improvement in housing starts will soon fizzle out. The volume of lumber being transported by railroad has a much... 13th April 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Principal reductions useful, but no silver bullet Principal reductions on mortgages held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would herald a policy initiative that directly addresses one of the biggest problems facing the housing market. It won’t solve the... 30th March 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Higher mortgage rates won’t extinguish the housing recovery There are two reasons why a rise in mortgage rates won’t threaten the housing recovery. First, mortgage rates can rise only so far when tighter monetary policy is still years away. Second, even if... 19th March 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Make no mistake; the housing recovery is well underway Concerns that a housing market recovery is not possible when prices are falling misses the crucial point that prices lag changes in demand and supply by up to six months. Make no mistake; a housing... 15th March 2012 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed remains cautious The statement released after today's FOMC meeting included a slightly more upbeat assessment of the economic outlook, but the Fed can hardly be accused of acting as a cheerleader for the recovery... 13th March 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Conflicting aims of REO and mortgage fee-raising policies The Administration’s housing policies are still not adequately addressing the fact that housing supply is too high and that demand is too low. The new details of the plan to sell REOs to investors to... 28th February 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Multi-family starts will outperform again this year The latest rise in the NAHB homebuilder activity index suggests that housing starts began the year on the front foot. We think that growing investment demand will prompt homebuilders to increase... 15th February 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Robo-signing settlement doesn't change the big picture News that the $25bn robo-signing settlement has been finalised is good for those homeowners who will benefit from the principal reductions and refinancing schemes that form part of the deal. But the... 9th February 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update REO to rental programme could be the best housing fix so far Among the myriad of programmes rolled out to help the housing market, the proposal to sell the government’s stock of real estate owned homes to rental investors could just be the most effective yet. 6th February 2012 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed's anticipates that rates are on hold until late 2014 The publication today of the first set of interest rate projections by the FOMC heralded a historic change in the way that the Fed conducts monetary policy, but had little practical impact on market... 25th January 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Obama retunes his HARP President Obama’s latest proposal to help more households refinance to a lower mortgage rate is another policy that tinkers at the margins rather than striking at the heart of the problems that are... 25th January 2012 · 1 min read
