Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

A Comment on Housing, Inflation, and Fed Policy

A comment on housing, inflation, and Fed policy (and a side comment on spending) No big economic news today, and as usual little State reporting on COVID over the weekend, so let me make a couple of points. As an initial note, the big report I will be paying attention to this week is personal […]

This may be the most important housing chart of springtime 2021

This may be the most important housing chart of springtime 2021 My longform housing market analysis is almost complete, and will probably get posted later today or tomorrow at Seeking Alpha. I’ll post a link here once that is done. In the meantime, consider the following. The Case Shiller national house price index had another […]

Strength in housing and cars, oh my!

Strength in housing and cars, oh my! The two consumer goods which turn down before recessions, and up before recoveries, are houses and motor vehicles, in that order.Since January housing permits and starts came out yesterday, let’s take a look at both. First, while housing starts retreated slightly from their December levels, the more leading […]

Dutch Domestic Demand Dragging Real Home Values

by Rebecca Wilder Dutch Domestic Demand Dragging Real Home Values Today Statistics Netherlands (CBS) warned ”House Prices Nosedive“. Prices of existing owner-occupied dwellings sold in July 2012 were on average 8.0 percent down from July 2011. This is the most substantial price drop since the price index of existing residential property was first recorded in […]