David Lereah
David Lereah
David Lereah is the President of Reecon Advisors, Inc., a real estate advisory and information company located in the Washington, DC area. Lereah was previously an Executive Vice President at Move, Inc. and before that, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors. Lereah served as the NAR's spokesman on economic forecasts, interest rates, home sales, mortgage rates, as well as other policy issues and trends affecting the United States real estate industry. Lereah was also the Chief Economist for...
five interest last months mortgage rates since year
Since 1971 there have been only five months when mortgage interest rates were lower, and all of those have been during the last year and a half.
mean years mortgage
If you paid your mortgage off, it means you probably did not manage your funds efficiently over the years,
years growth next-year
With sales stabilizing, we should go back to positive price growth early next year.
real believe years
I believe that in years to come, historians will see the beginning of the 21st century as the ‘golden age’ of real estate.
best housing recent year
So, 2005, when we look back, was the best year in housing in recent memory, probably of all time.
both earlier expected half interest mortgage rates records rise sales second slower year
Not only have mortgage interest rates declined, but an expected rise in the second half of the year will be slower than in earlier projections. As a result, we now expect to set records for both existing- and new-home sales this year.
activity current eight expected good health higher home housing modest months pace remains sales strong volume year
The current pace of home sales activity remains historically strong - only eight months have had a higher sales pace. A modest downtrend, to a sales volume that is expected to be the second-best year ever in 2006, will be good for the long-term health of the housing sector.
expected good health housing modest sales volume year
A modest downtrend to a sales volume that is expected to be the second-best year ever in 2006 will be good for the long-term health of the housing sector.
brakes hot tapping
The slowdown amounts to a tapping of the brakes on a hot market.
buyer census changed data definition determine examining homes investment larger mostly number second share shift toward vacation
Our definition of second homes has changed with the buyer shift toward investment property, ... In examining Census data to determine the number of investment units, we see that second homes are a much larger share than the conventional mind-set of them being mostly vacation homes.
expected sooner three
We got to 6.6 sooner than I expected. I hadn't expected that for two or three months.
above afford available bid buffer buy buyers compete cost country debt family home low means natural pressure prices purchase seeing service typical
With more buyers than sellers nationally, what we're seeing is a natural pressure on home prices as buyers compete to bid on available properties. Fortunately, the historically low cost of debt service on a home purchase means that we have a comfortable buffer in most of the country because the typical family can afford to buy a home well above the median price.
current home lower sales sustained
Right now, home sales are a little lower than projected, but they can be sustained around current levels.
additional april august close easing four level months pace project record sales since sixth strongest three total toward
Since April we've experienced three out of the four strongest months on record for existing-home sales, and August was the sixth highest. We're at a more sustainable level now, but long-term there should be some additional easing toward the end of the year. In fact, the August sales pace is close to what we project for total sales this year.