In the past decade, top homebuilders such as D.R. Horton and Lennar have outperformed the S&P 500 in terms of shareholder returns. However, recent investment outlook downgrades by analysts have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the industry. Despite this, some investors remain optimistic about the future performance of homebuilders. Industry observers note that the
Real Estate
The July home sales report indicated a 1.3% increase in closed sales of previously owned homes compared to June. This marks the first gain in five months, showing a slight improvement in the market. However, sales were still 2.5% lower when compared to the same time last year. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, noted that
Last week, mortgage rates experienced a third consecutive week of decline, leading many to believe that a rush to refinance would follow suit. However, applications to refinance a home loan actually dropped by 15% from the previous week. Although this decrease may seem surprising, it is essential to note that refinance volume was still 90%
The recent interest rate cut by the Bank of England has resulted in a significant decrease in mortgage rates offered by major high street lenders in the UK. Lenders like Barclays, Halifax, HSBC, and NatWest are now providing five-year fixed rate mortgages below 4%, which is lower than the BOE’s key rate of 5%. This
In July, inflation in the United States continued to decline, with the consumer price index rising by 2.9% from a year ago. This is a decrease from the 3% rise in June and marks the lowest reading since March 2021. The decline in inflation was largely driven by easing price pressures for consumer staples such
The construction boom in the United States has led to a surplus of rental units, resulting in lower rents and various benefits for renters. The record construction activity following the pandemic has significantly increased the availability of empty units, leading to a rise in inventory for potential renters. In response to the surplus of rental
The real estate market has been booming, and homeowners are reaping the benefits. According to CoreLogic, homeowners are currently sitting on a staggering $17 trillion in equity as of the end of the first quarter of 2024. This means that the average homeowner gained $28,000 in equity compared to the previous year. Despite this wealth
The recent survey conducted by Affirm in June revealed some alarming insights regarding Americans’ perceptions of the current state of the U.S. economy. Despite the economy’s strength, a significant portion of the population, 59% to be exact, mistakenly believes that the U.S. is currently in a recession. This misconception is largely due to the challenges
As the major party tickets are finalized for the upcoming election, voters are closely examining the candidates’ personal finance policies that could directly impact their wallets. With Vice President Kamala Harris revealing her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and former President Donald Trump selecting Senator JD Vance of Ohio, the stage is set for
The recent drop in mortgage interest rates has sparked a surge in demand from both homebuyers and current homeowners. Total mortgage application volume rose significantly compared to the previous week, reaching the highest level since earlier in the year. This increase in demand can be attributed to the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate