As we head into a lighter week for economic releases, the Realtor.com team is tracking critical data points for the housing market.
As we head into a lighter week for economic releases, the Realtor.com economic research team is tracking critical data points to gauge the direction of the late-summer housing market.
The week kicks off on Monday as senior economist Joel Berner releases his annual report on the Top Metros for New Construction, which tracks the best markets for homebuyers interested in newly built homes.
On Wednesday, senior economist Jake Krimmel releases the August Monthly Housing Report, providing a clear snapshot of inventory, pricing, and national market dynamics. On Thursday, senior economist Hannah Jones will break down real-time supply and demand shifts in our latest Weekly Housing Data.
Thursday also brings the Freddie Mac mortgage rate update, analyzed by senior economist Jiayi Xu.
Mortgage rates have remained relatively flat recently near their current average of 6.66%, with the ongoing conflict in Iran serving as a primary driver of rate movement.
While we forecast little relief on rates in the short term, a sustained resolution in geopolitical tensions remains the clearest path toward a lower rate environment.
Finally, on Friday, Krimmel returns to unpack the labor market's overall health with commentary on the monthly jobs report, giving us critical insight into buyer purchasing power and confidence heading into the fall.
For full reports, the Market Clock, and raw housing data, visit realtor.com/research.