Editor’s note: Econ Review is a roundup of the month’s housing and economic market data reports. Spring 2026 is shaping up better than previous years, leaving real estate professionals brimming with expectations for the potential of an even better summer as certain housing economy indicators continue to improve. However, lingering economic uncertainty remains, leaving some…
Late last year, Bright MLS General Counsel Brian Schneider was doing what millions of people do every day—asking AI large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude and Google Gemini for information on real estate listings. But Schneider’s motives were very different from the average consumer. As part of a regular review process, Schneider was checking…
After two brutal years in the housing market, hopes were high that 2026 would see a gradual rebound. But those hopes haven’t materialized as potential buyers see misalignment between their incomes and active home listings, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). As of March 2026, 74.9% of U.S. listings…
Sales of newly built single-family homes fell 6.2% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 622,000, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau, as the 2026 housing market remains sluggish overall. The pace of new-home sales is down 11.3% from a…
Data and marketing firm PropStream has announced its attendance at InvestHer Con 2026 June 14-16 in Scottsdale, Arizona. According to a release, the event offers a curated experience for female real estate investors to learn actionable tips on scaling their businesses on their own terms. To help prepare for real investing challenges, example scenarios will…
Consumers’ view of the U.S. economy has been shaped by the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which has boosted inflation in large part due to rising energy prices. The uncertain timeline for an end to the conflict has in turn led to an uncertain economic outlook, including by those at the Federal Reserve.…
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Consumer sentiment experienced a third consecutive month of decline this month, per the University of Michigan’s closely watched survey of consumers. Consumer sentiment went from 49.8 in April to 44.8 in May, a 10% drop. The dramatic decline underscores how severely the Iran conflict, combined with soaring energy prices and trade uncertainty, has eroded American…
The economy has seen numerous challenges over the past few months, from a soft but improving labor market to high inflation. The latter, largely attributed to the ongoing U.S.-Iran War and resulting energy price spikes, has also driven mortgage rates upward, and the Federal Reserve has signaled willingness to increase interest rates if inflation continues…
A new housing affordability index from the University of San Diego reveals that the total cost of homeownership surpassed renters’ income in some of the nation’s largest metros at the end of 2025. As the data shows, there’s a lot more that goes into the housing affordability equation that can make—or break—homebuyers’ ability to purchase…
Mortgage rates have fluctuated again this week, seeing an increase as inflation rose due to elevated oil, gas and energy prices due to continued geopolitical tensions, according to the latest data from Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey® found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) had increased from 6.36% last week to 6.51%…
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