July 20, 2017
Why aren’t homebuilders building more homes?

Posted in Inman News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Housing markets all across the U.S. are suffering from serious shortages of homes for sale, and this isn’t expected to change in the foreseeable future. When I think about inventory levels and the fact that demand is clearly outstripping supply, it makes me question why homebuilders aren’t stepping up to the plate to meet all this pent-up demand.
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September 08, 2016
Do You Have ‘Average’ Credit? If so, Getting a Mortgage May Be Tough

Posted in Inman News and Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Today, lenders require nothing short of pristine credit to obtain a mortgage. We can never return to the reckless lending policies of the past, but I believe they’ve gone too far, and it concerns me.
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December 16, 2015
There’s No Need To Panic About Rising Interest Rates

Posted in Inman News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
After seven years of some of the lowest interest rates in recorded history, the Federal Reserve has decided to raise the key Fed Funds Rate by 0.25 percent, which is causing some to be concerned that it will lead to a jump in mortgage rates and negatively impact the US housing market. So, the question everyone wants to know is, do we need to worry about interest rates leaping?
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December 01, 2015
No national bubble in sight, but there are some frothy markets

Posted in Inman News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
For the past few years, home values have been rising at rates well above that of incomes, but thanks to low-interest rates, this hasn’t yet created a significant barrier for buyers. However, mortgage rates are set to rise, and this could leave some markets with homes that are too expensive for buyers earning that area’s median income.
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