The Unassuming Economist

On prices, rent, and mortgage:    

• New Home vs. Existing Home Prices in Q1 2026 – NAHB
• Freddie Mac House Price Index Increased in April; Up 1.4% Year-over-year. Punta Gorda House Prices Down 21% from Recent Peak, Austin Down 17% – Calculated Risk
• Mortgage rates are hovering at their highest point since last August. The 30-year fixed rate climbed to 6.53% this week as uncertainty over the Iran war weighs on borrowers and lenders – Quartz
• US new home sales slump in April amid higher mortgage rates, prices – Reuters
• Zillow downgrades its home price forecast across 400-plus housing markets—see the data. Zillow predicts that national housing affordability may improve slightly as U.S. income growth outpaces U.S. home price growth. – Fast Company
• A.I. Boom Upends San Francisco Housing Market. The Bay Area boasts the highest median home prices in the country and experienced the sharpest annual price increases. – New York Times
• Mortgage Lenders Shift Focus to Enhancing the Consumer Experience – Fannie Mae
• Single-Family AD&C Lending Edges Higher in Q1 – NAHB
• Asking Rents Continue to Decline Year-over-year – Calculated Risk
• House Price Appreciation by State and Metro Area in the First Quarter of 2026 – NAHB

On sales, permits, starts, and supply:     

• New Home Sales Decrease to 622,000 Annual Rate in April. Median New Home Price is Down 15% from the Peak due to Change in Mix – Calculated Risk
• Housing Supply Is Not Primarily a Financing Problem – AEI
• L.A.’s Plan To Build Half a Million New Homes Is Drawing Major Developer Interest – Realtor.com
• he Barriers to Building More Housing – New York Times
• HBGI Q1 2026: Single-Family Construction Slips Across All Geographies – NAHB
• Slight Increase for Construction Job Openings – NAHB
• Highest Paid Occupations in Construction in 2025 – NAHB

On other developments:    

• New Home Sales Down in April on Affordability Concerns – NAHB  
• Real-Estate Agents Are Quitting the Slow Housing Market. In the fourth year of a struggling market, even real-estate professionals who made it this far are reaching a breaking point – Wall Street Journal
• By 2064, the Global Population Could Be Halved in a Worst-Case Scenario—but Housing Affordability Poses a Far More Immediate Risk – Realtor.com
• Lenders and Real Estate Agents Still Beat Online Sources as Top Mortgage Influencers… For Now – Fannie Mae
• Louisiana is criminalizing a housing problem. Without addressing the underlying housing shortage, the bill risks creating a cycle of repeat arrests that effectively turns jail cells into expensive temporary shelters. – Reason
• An Interview with Jim the Realtor – Calculated Risk
• Berkshire Is Convinced the American Dream of Homeownership Will Stay Alive. Under its new chief executive, Greg Abel, Berkshire raises its bet on a market recovery by adding another housing company to its portfolio – Wall Street Journal
• Over 100,000 Tech Workers Have Been Laid Off This Year Already. Where Will They Move Next? – Realtor.com
• This Housing Bill Is Progress, Not Perfection. The House-amended 21st Century Road to Housing Act will has a meaningful effect, increasing housing supply across the country. – Wall Street Journal
• The AI Premium: How AI Boom Is Reshaping Bay Area Luxury Home Buying – Realtor.com
• Housing policies in Saint Paul yield mixed results, data and developers say. New Minneapolis Fed data dashboard highlights housing challenges and opportunities in Minnesota’s capital city – Minneapolis Fed
• Saint Paul Housing Dashboard. Minneapolis Fed launches new tool to inform housing policy in Saint Paul, Minnesota – Minneapolis Fed
• Unemployment and Foreclosure Rates Drive Housing Market Risk – ATTOM