We’re all aware that the pandemic has disproportionately affected lower-income residents, including renters. But there are many statistics to look at when examining trends in the rental market, and some of them may not be so obvious. Who, when, where, and how much are all questions to consider. The when is the most obvious —… Continue reading Rental Statistics Shifting Across the US
Tag: statistics
First-time Homebuyers Struggling in Current Market
There are many factors leading to the current housing market being a rough time for first-time homebuyers. This group is already at a disadvantage from the outset, not having the ability to sell their existing home to help pay for a new one, and frequently already saddled with rent payments. In addition, first-time homebuyers tend… Continue reading First-time Homebuyers Struggling in Current Market
What Your Local Grocery Store Says About Your Area
Whether a high priority on the checklist or just a nice-to-have, most everyone wants to live near the places where they shop. While some people remain loyal to their store of choice regardless of distance, others are perfectly happy to live nearby any place that serves their shopping needs. But which stores are local can… Continue reading What Your Local Grocery Store Says About Your Area
Despite Rebound, Job Future Not As Bright As It May Seem
With the pandemic creating an employment nightmare, the unemployment rate has been a closely watched statistic. Employment is still below pre-pandemic levels, but has rebounded fairly well. That may be giving us false hope, though, since there are other jobs-related statistics to consider. In a previous article (https://www.carlandarda.com/?p=1370) we looked at the difference between employment… Continue reading Despite Rebound, Job Future Not As Bright As It May Seem
Mortgage Applications Skyrocketed in 2020
When the pandemic began towards the end of the first quarter in 2020, people were understandably reluctant to start purchasing houses. As a result, mortgage applications saw a sharp decrease. However, they rebounded quickly, surpassing 2019’s numbers even while trending downwards again in December. In the week ending December 23rd, 2020, mortgage applications dropped 5%… Continue reading Mortgage Applications Skyrocketed in 2020
Smart Home Tech Becoming More Popular
With the pandemic forcing people to stay at home, many are looking to improve the smart technology features of their home. A quarter of those surveyed have more interest in smart tech as a result of spending more time at home, up to 37% for those in the 18-34 age range. Even people who already… Continue reading Smart Home Tech Becoming More Popular
2021 Real Estate Forecast Looking Hopeful
2020 hasn’t been quite as bad for the real estate market as expected; Quarters 3 and 4 have actually experienced incredible recovery and even some growth from Q1 since the enormous downturn in Q2. Home sales are up about 800 from Q1, after falling by over 1100 in Q2. Despite the slowdown in construction, total… Continue reading 2021 Real Estate Forecast Looking Hopeful
Cannabis Business Thriving Amid Pandemic
Many businesses have been struggling during the pandemic, but the cannabis industry is not one of them. Cannabis businesses were deemed essential and therefore have been working throughout the stay-at-home orders. And their business has been booming. One need only look at California’s state tax revenues to see it, as those from cannabis businesses have… Continue reading Cannabis Business Thriving Amid Pandemic
How Does GDP Reflect Economic Health?
GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, is defined as the total final value of all goods and services produced, and is one of the most frequently used indicators of economic health. But how much does it actually tell you, and how can that information be used? For the most part, GDP is simply a broad overview… Continue reading How Does GDP Reflect Economic Health?
Renters and Homeowners Alike Unsure of Their Economic Security
As of September, California had lost about 1.5 million jobs in the prior 12 months, resulting in many people falling behind in house payments. This includes both renters and homeowners with a mortgage, who are both reporting various degrees of certainty about their ability to pay. Of those renters who are still paying rent despite… Continue reading Renters and Homeowners Alike Unsure of Their Economic Security
Understanding Labor Force Participation
Labor force participation (LFP) and unemployment may seem like direct inverses of one another, but that isn’t the case. LFP measures the percent of employed people plus the percent of unemployed people actively seeking employment. Those who are unable to work or have chosen to leave the workforce are not included in LFP, and in… Continue reading Understanding Labor Force Participation
2021 Tax Rate Information Now Available
The IRS released the new numbers for 2021’s tax rates in October. The lowest individual bracket has shifted from $9,875 or less to $9,950 or less, and the highest went from $518,400 or more to 523,600 or more. The majority of people will fall in the second or third bracket, up to $40,425 or $86,375.… Continue reading 2021 Tax Rate Information Now Available
Housing Opportunity Index at its Lowest Since 2018
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) now has data for Q2 of the year for its Housing Opportunity Index, which measures affordability of homes compared to median income. The US adjusted median income is currently $72,900. With these earnings, 59.6% of home sales were affordable in Q2 of 2020. This is down from 61.3%… Continue reading Housing Opportunity Index at its Lowest Since 2018
Residential Construction Continues to Slow
Residential construction of both single-family residences (SFRs) and multi-family housing has been on a downturn since the most recent peak in 2018. SFR construction in particular is a long way down from the 2005 numbers when they started to nosedive, while multi-family housing construction has been relatively stable since the 1980s, albeit much lower than… Continue reading Residential Construction Continues to Slow