The REconomy Podcast

What’s driving mortgage rates and where are rates headed? - EP 19

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain what causes mortgage rates to move up or down, and offers a mortgage rate forecast for the end of 2021.

Should you rent or buy a home? - EP 18

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi examine the question all potential first-time home buyers must answer, whether to rent or to buy, and explain how it’s possible for a home to pay you to live in it.

What’s Driving the Shift in the Housing Market Today, Supply or Demand? - EP 17

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi examine the supply and demand dynamic in the housing market to explain why home sales are declining.

What Will the End of the Foreclosure Moratorium Mean for the Housing Market? - EP 16

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain why the end of the foreclosure moratorium later this month is unlikely to trigger a tsunami of foreclosures.

Will Rising Mortgage Rates Slow the Housing Market? - EP 15

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain the economic concept of demand elasticity and why housing market demand tends to be inelastic in response to rising mortgage rates.

What Does the Rush to Suburbia Mean for Real Estate? - EP 14

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain the dynamics influencing the second coming of suburbia and the implications for the broader real estate economy. 

Deflation in the Housing Market? Let Us Explain. - EP 13

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi discuss how inflation in owner-occupied housing is measured and why an argument can be made that the long-run trend in housing cost has been deflation, not inflation. 

Breaking Down the Limits of the Wealth Effect in Today’s Housing Market - EP 12

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi unpack the ‘wealth effect’ economic theory and explain why, despite soaring house prices, the wealth effect’s influence on the housing market may be limited.

Is the Housing Market Heading for a Crash? - EP 11

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain why today’s housing market is unlike the housing market that preceded the Great Recession and why we’re unlikely to see a housing market crash anytime soon.

What Drives the Decision to Become a Homeowner? - Ep 10

In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain how the vast majority of potential home buyers reach the decision to become a buy a home and what that means for the housing market and homeownership rate moving forward.