NAR Chief Economist Discusses U.S. Real Estate Market

The National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun joined C-SPAN yesterday morning to discuss the U.S. housing market, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Topics included the March 2013 jobs numbers, Obama administration efforts to boost the housing market, and the real estate markets in individual states.

Realtor Confidence Levels Up Nationally, January 2013 Report

Realtor confidence levels are up significantly across the nation. The market is still being held back by a few obstacles, but the national market showing great improvement and going in the right direction.

Here is a recent article from the National Association of Realtors on the subject:

On January 24, 2013, in Economist Commentaries, by Jed Smith, Managing Director, Quantitative Research

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The year 2012 ended on a high note. Based on information gathered from the  December 2012 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey, the Current Conditions Confidence Index increased for all property types. The index for single family homes rose to 56 from from 32 a year ago, indicating a shift in expectations from “below moderate” to “above moderate”.  An index of 50 means moderate conditions or expectations.   The index for townhouses ended at 39 compared to 19 last year, while the index for condominiums was at 31 compared to 14 last year.


REALTORS® generally reported brisker sales, rising home prices, and shorter days on the market.   However,  the market recovery continued to be held back by low inventory and  a tight  and drawn out underwriting process, especially for shortsales. Appraisal issues, the modest pace of economic recovery and job growth, and the potential adverse impact of ‘fiscal cliff” measures and  regulations on mortgage lending (e.g, Qualified Mortgage rules) were major concerns. REALTORS® also reported reduced activity in the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy and  concerns over the potential dampening effect of higher flood insurance rates.

Federal Reserve: US Economy On The Mend 2013

According to a report from Bloomberg News, the local and national economies have picked up over the last month, and are being primarily fueled by home and auto sales.  Nationally, over the 12 districts, the pace of economic growth has been termed "modest" to "moderate."

Cleveland, the fourth district, has seen the following:

• Staffing across all industries has been slow. Job openings have been stagnant, with most vacancies were found primarily in manufacturing and healthcare.
• Manufacturing reports indicated that new orders and production were flat or down slightly during the past six weeks. Increased manufacturing production was seen for companies that supply the auto industry.
• New home construction has seen improved sales, with optimistic confidence levels heading into 2013. Listing and sales prices are increasing with higher demand (due to low interest rates) and fewer homes available for purchase.  Building material costs have gone up, also driving sales price for new construction.
• Consumer spending reports indicate the holiday shopping season was solid, with improved sales expected in the first quarter of 2013. Auto sales and leasing have shown steady improvement over the past six weeks.

For additional economic reporting for Cleveland, please view the full article HERE.