Building Market Intelligence

We have reviewed more than 500 cash flow reports and appraisals this year, and we are stunned by what we are finding. It is very common to find: “Updated cash flows” with home price assumptions that are much higher than …

Housing affordability has improved dramatically in the last year, particularly in those markets where affordability was previously the most concerning. Each month, we calculate our Housing Cycle Barometer™ rating – a measure of the relationship between incomes and housing costs …

Most service sectors of the economy continue to grow while the construction and manufacturing sectors continue to shed jobs. Overall job growth remains positive, despite 700,000 Construction and Manufacturing jobs lost in the last 12 months. Education and Health services …

While lofts are often considered an art form of their own, making money selling lofts is the greatest art form. Consumers love to visit lofts because they enjoy the creative architecture, the playful interior merchandising, and often a unique variety …

There are many new executives to the industry today who are trying to determine how to underwrite the risk of owning land. These executives range from lenders, who presumed they would never consider owning an asset, to opportunity funds who …

After many months of testing, we are proud to introduce our Market Fundamentals grade, which has proven to be a 3-5 year leading indicator for home price appreciation and depreciation. Improving fundamentals usually result in increasing appreciation, and vice versa. …

The weakening job market is a key factor in rapidly deteriorating consumer confidence, which is now at its lowest level since March 2003, surrounding the beginning of the war in Iraq. The current consumer confidence index rating of 64.5 is …

Co-Authored by Chris Porter, Chief Demographer This month, we are pleased to present a 7-minute video that we hope will be a very effective use of your time to understand where we are in the housing cycle. To see the video, …

Nothing exemplifies the boom and bust of this cycle like the City of Maricopa, Arizona. A distant Phoenix suburb, the city’s growth has been phenomenal: 1,040 people in March 2000 4,998 people in March 2004 24,625 people in July 2006 …