Research Brief: Housing – July 2019

Mortgage rates falling but home sales still soft. Though mortgage rates have declined 80 basis points since they peaked last November, single-family home sales remain sluggish. An increased preference for rentals, the limited number of entry-level homes for sale and caution surrounding the economic outlook are restraining buyers. Move-up homebuyers are less active in the market than in previous cycles, while renters are choosing to remain in apartments. Rentals are also attracting some baby boomers who favor urban locations and amenity packages. This has weighed on the single-family housing market as a broad spectrum of households are showing signs of a transitional shift toward rental housing.

Download