The Unassuming Economist

On cross-country:

• World’s real estate worth $393.3 trillion and is the world’s largest store of wealth. The value of all global real estate (residential and commercial real estate, and agricultural land) was $393.3 trillion as of the start of 2025, according to Savills, maintaining the asset’s position as the world’s most significant store of wealth. – Savills
• EU housing plan to tackle speculation, short-term rentals. Brussels wants more public cash to build homes — and insists they be genuinely affordable. – Politico

Working papers and conferences:

• Price and Volume Divergence in China’s Real Estate Markets: The Role of Local Governments – NBER
• The Impact of Carcinogenic Risk Exposure on Housing Values: Estimates From Chemical Reclassifications – NBER
• How Mortgage Lock-In Affects the Price of Housing – Philadelphia Fed
• Understanding the Lag Between CPI Shelter Inflation and Market Rents – NBER

On Australia and New Zealand:

• [Australia] Sydney remains ground zero for Australia’s housing crisis – Grattan Institute
• [Australia] It’s about to get easier to buy your first home as Australia’s first home guarantee expands. The guarantee slashes the deposit requirements for a loan, reducing the savings wait time for people earning enough to pay off a home loan – The Guardian
• [Australia] Michele Bullock says ‘nothing I can do personally’ about house prices – as it happened – The Guardian
• [New Zealand] New Zealand House Prices Rise for First Time in Six Months – Bloomberg

On other countries:  

• [Argentina] Argentina Residential Real Estate Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [Hong Kong] Hong Kong may relaunch public flat purchase scheme but not in near future. Housing minister Winnie Ho says cautious approach and timing key to success of purchase scheme and protection of supply – South China Morning Post
• [Korea] Seoul’s Apartment Prices Rise for 34th Week as Pace Picks Up – Bloomberg
• [Mexico] Mexico’s Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [Saudi Arabia] Saudi Arabia Orders Freeze on Riyadh Rents After Price Surge – Bloomberg
• [Singapore] Singapore Home Prices Accelerate Again After New Buying Wave – Bloomberg
• [Slovakia] Slovakia’s Residential Real Estate Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [South Korea] South Korea’s Property Market Rally Clouds Case for BOK Rate Cut – Bloomberg
• [Spain] Spain’s student housing draws global investors as overseas enrolment booms – Bloomberg
• [Turkey] Turkey Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [United Arab Emirates] Dubai Residential Market Overview – August 2025 – REIDIN
• [United Kingdom] London considers lowering affordable homes target to spur house building. Developers complain that 35% goal is too high and makes schemes unviable – FT
• [United Kingdom] Latest House Price Index Report – hometrack
• [United Kingdom] UK house prices rise more than expected in September. Low unemployment and buoyant wages underpin gains, says lender Nationwide – FT
• [United Kingdom] UK house prices return to growth amid ‘broad stability’ in market. Nationwide says prices rose by 0.5% in September after August drop, lifting average price of property to £271,995 – The Guardian
• [United Kingdom] UK house prices rise more than expected in September. Low unemployment and buoyant wages underpin gains, says lender Nationwide – FT
• [United Kingdom] UK house prices rise slightly more than expected in September, Nationwide data shows – Reuters   
• [United Kingdom] Think twice before rushing to fix the UK’s broken property taxes. It took us a generation to get into the present council tax mess and would take another to emerge with minimal scars – FT

On prices, rent, and mortgage:    

• Freddie Mac House Price Index Up 1.6% Year-over-Year. Punta Gorda House Prices Down almost 20% from Peak – Calculated Risk
• Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Up 1.7% year-over-year in July. FHFA House Prices up 2.3% YoY in July – Calculated Risk
• Inflation Adjusted House Prices 2.7% Below 2022 Peak. Price-to-rent index is 10.0% below 2022 peak – Calculated Risk
• Mortgage Rates Continue Downward Trend in September – NAHB
• Mortgage Applications Decreased in Latest MBA Weekly Survey – MBA
• Homeowners With Sub-4% Mortgage Rates Are On the Move—and They’re Buying Newly Built Homes – Realtor.com 
• Falling Mortgage Rates Could Unlock These 10 Housing Markets – Realtor.com
• FHFA’s Q2 National Mortgage Database: Outstanding Mortgage Rates, LTV and Credit Scores – Calculated Risk
• 5 Key Takeaways: Mortgage Rates Could Drop Below 6% – Realtor.com
• 80% of Outstanding Mortgage Debt Has a Sub-6% Rate – Realtor.com
• Share of Mortgages with Rates Above 6% Climbs to 10-Year High as Americans Adapt to New Normal – Redfin
• Where Falling Mortgage Rates Could Spark the Most Change – Realtor.com
• Rise of ‘Accidental Landlords’ Is Bad News for Investors Who Bet Big on Rentals. Problems in the for-sale housing market are starting to infect the rental business – Wall Street Journal
• The end of rent debt? Tenants are going on strike against their landlords. – Vox
• A rent freeze is not the answer to New York’s housing crisis. If he is elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani should concentrate on expanding supply – FT

On sales, permits, starts, and supply:    

• Home Sales Fell in August, Slowed by High Home Prices. Median home price rises to $422,600, up 2% from year ago and highest price ever for month of August – Wall Street Journal
• What if local control can actually help build housing? Some places want to build. Maybe we should just let them. – Noahpinion
• Developers look to New York’s vacant offices to meet high housing demand. Manhattan has become increasingly residential since the pandemic as more commercial properties are converted – FT
• Three Levers to Unlock 1.5 Million Homes a Year – AEI
• Final Look at Housing Markets in August and a Look Ahead to September Sales – Calculated Risk
• US pending home sales rebound in August amid low mortgage rates – Reuters
• Pending Home Sales Rise in August as Falling Mortgage Rates Finally Spur Activity – Realtor.com
• Construction Labor Market Softens – NAHB
• AEI Housing Market Indicators, September 2025 – AEI
• Goldman Says Looser Land Rules May Ease US’s Housing Squeeze – Bloomberg
• 17% of NAHB Builders Built Age-Restricted Housing in 2024 – NAHB
• Square Foot Prices Moderate in 2024 – NAHB
• Sellers in Top Buyer’s Markets Are Sweetening Deals With Discounts – Realtor.com

On other developments:    

• The Rise of ‘Accidental Landlords’. When properties don’t sell, it may be time to get a tenant. – New York Times
• New York City’s Suburbs Heat Up as Residents Move in Anticipation of a Mamdani Win – Realtor.com
• Housing secretary says work will start on three new towns before election. Steve Reed hails predecessor Angela Rayner as ‘true working-class hero’ and accuses Tories of blocking new homes – The Guardian
• Characteristics of Homes Built in Age-Restricted Communities – NAHB
• Does the Zillow rent measure help predict CPI rent inflation? – Econbrowser 
• Two-Thirds of Working-Age Renters Struggle to Afford Basic Needs – Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
• Fannie and Freddie: Multi-Family Delinquency Rate Highest Since Housing Bust (ex-pandemic) – Calculated Risk
• Real Estate Visualized: America’s Home Buyers by Generation – Visual Capitalist
• ATTOM Launches Transparent Owner to Reveal True Property Ownership – ATTOM
• Home Values Rise Slightly in July Nationwide but Drop in These 7 Major Cities – Realtor.com
• Strong Foundations Shows Every Community a Way Forward on Housing – AEI
• Why a shutdown looms over the housing market. The National Flood Insurance Program is set to lapse along with government funding. – Politico
• The Housing Hero Gotham Deserved. Plus: New York’s expensive new stove regulations, Los Angeles rent controls, and the housing policy implications of a federal shutdown. – Reason
• How an infrastructure financing law can help build thousands of homes and expand transit access – Brookings
• A Once Unstoppable Luxury Housing Market Is Starting to Crack Economic uncertainty has taken a toll on wealthy buyers and sellers – Wall Street Journal
• New Tariffs Could Worsen America’s Housing Crisis. President Trump’s tariffs on timber, wood, furniture and kitchen cabinets could raise the cost of building and buying a home. – New York Times
• A Boring Housing Market Is Good News for Buyers. Sellers appear to realise that “peak” pricing is now in the past. – Bloomberg