Freddie Mac’s annual multifamily outlook projects another strong year, with rents continuing to increase despite an overall moderating market. The report projects that the Sun Belt will outperform slow-growing smaller markets in the Northeast and Midwest. “We believe the market will continue to grow in 2022, reflecting the strong multifamily fundamentals that drove the market to a record-breaking year in 2021,” said Steve Guggenmos, vice president of Multifamily Research & Modeling at Freddie Mac. “We anticipate rent growth in all markets in 2022 due to strong demand driven by improving economic conditions.” Growth broke records in 2021 thanks to changing migration patterns and strong economic conditions. Multifamily demand reached its highest ever levels during Q2 and Q3 of 2021, and…
Pending home sales dropped 2.2% in November, a 2.7% decrease year-over-year (YOY), according to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI). The PSHI, which predicts home sales based on contract signings for existing homes, fell to 122.4. An index of 100 is equal to signing activity in 2001. “There was less pending home sales action this time around, which I would ascribe to low housing supply, but also to buyers being hesitant about home prices,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “While I expect neither a price reduction, nor another year of record-pace price gains, the market will see more inventory in 2022 and that will help some consumers with affordability.” Signings declined in all four…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS It may be a harsh reality to face, but the data is clear: There will be more houses on the market in 2022 because of the number of people who have died due to COVID-19 and its variants. This sobering fact was highlighted during the National Association of Real Estate Editors conference in Miami, Fla., last week. As of Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 793,937 COVID deaths of Americans. More of those deaths have occurred since the first vaccines became available than before. Approximately 77% of people over the age of five have had at least one vaccination, according to their website. Community transmission is high in many parts of the country…
Pending home sales rebounded in October after a September drop, though the year-over-year (YOY) numbers were mild, according to the National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index. The Index, which is based on contract signings, rose 7.5% to 125.2 in October. An index of 100 is equivalent to the level of contract activity in 2001. However, signings fell 1.4% YOY. “Motivated by fast-rising rents and the anticipated increase in mortgage rates, consumers that are on strong financial footing are signing contracts to purchase a home sooner rather than later,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “This solid buying is a testament to demand still being relatively high, as it is occurring during a time when inventory is still…
Existing-home sales rose in October for the second month straight, though sales year-over-year (YOY) dropped, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales of existing homes rose 0.8% from September to October, at a seasonally adjusted rate of 6.34 million. However, sales fell 5.8% YOY, down from 6.73 million in October 2020. “Home sales remain resilient, despite low inventory and increasing affordability challenges,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Inflationary pressures, such as fast-rising rents and increasing consumer prices, may have some prospective buyers seeking the protection of a fixed, consistent mortgage payment.” Though sales were down compared to the same time last year, prices were up: the median price for an existing home was $353,900, up 13.1% from October…
