It’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe …Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance.I hope everybody had an enjoyable week. Without further ado, let’s get right to this week’s commentary …Let your hook be always cast. In the pool where you least expect it, will be fish.— OvidCredits and DebitsDebit: Did you see this? Rite Aid, once one of America’s biggest pharmacy chains, shuttered its rema ...

Our next guest says the government shutdown is hitting one real estate market in particular, driving up costs and creating some delays. For more on that story, let's bring in Don Peebles. He's the founder, chairman, and CEO of the People's Corporation, one of the country's most active privately held national real estate investment and development companies.Don, thank you very much for being here. You just heard Diana's report on some of the impact that we are seeing from investors and their sale and purchas ...

All right. So, we're seeing the rhetoric really ramp up. Both sides seem to be digging in, but you think we're actually getting closer and closer to a resolution.What's leading you to that conclusion. >> Yeah. Um, you know, these are political events, so you have to sort of look at at politics.And the politics is that when the checks don't go out uh to employ federal employees, which you know does have a a a a sort of minor economic effect effect, but even more importantly, when the checks don't go out to o ...

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Homeownership rates fell in 2024 for the first time in eight years as soaring home prices made ownership unattainable for many, Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies found. As of early 2025, prices are up 60% nationwide since 2019 and still rising at a rate of 3.9% year over year, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index. Consequently, the U.S. median existin ...

Core Insights - A 32-year-old nurse is experiencing financial strain from her $259,000 lake house mortgage, which consumes nearly half of her biweekly paycheck of $1,950 [1][2] - The nurse has $24,000 in student loans and feels "house poor," questioning whether to sell, rent, or wait for a potential income increase [1][2] Financial Situation - The lake house is a 900-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath property that the nurse describes as her "dream home," but it has become difficult to sustain [2] - The estimated selling price of the home is around $350,000, which could allow her to purchase a smaller starter property [3] Community Feedback - Reddit users provided various strategies, with some suggesting to keep the home due to the potential for salary increases over time [4] - Others recommended finding new income sources, such as overtime shifts or renting the property through platforms like Airbnb, although the nurse is hesitant to share her living space [5] Broader Implications - The discussion sparked wider conversations about housing affordability, with commenters questioning the nurse's take-home pay of less than $4,000 monthly, which seems low compared to national averages for nurses [6]

61% of boomers say they’ll never sell their homes.Housing has become a politically protected asset class, leaving affordability at record lows.Bitcoin is the pressure release valve, helping young people save faster in a broken system.[Presented by @JoinHorizon_] https://t.co/JQpYjyAFJu ...

Core Viewpoint - The real estate market is currently influenced by an anticipated Federal Reserve rate cut, which is expected to impact mortgage rates positively, potentially leading to a more favorable housing landscape [1][6]. Mortgage Market - The 30-year mortgage rate has reached a three-year low ahead of the Fed meeting, indicating a more accommodating environment for homebuyers [1]. - A 25 basis point cut in rates is expected, which may not significantly affect the longer end of the yield curve, but could still provide some relief to the mortgage market [2][4]. - The cost of manufacturing single-family homes has not increased due to tariffs, and inflationary pressures in the construction industry appear to be flat, which is beneficial for new supply [9][10]. Housing Economy - There is a housing and affordability crisis in the United States, necessitating either a significant reduction in rates or building costs to address the imbalance between demand and affordability [6][7]. - The housing sector is expected to improve as rates stabilize or decrease, which could lead to better absorption of manufactured homes [8][9]. Commercial Real Estate - The commercial real estate sector, particularly in New York, is experiencing a renaissance with increased activity as people return to offices [17][18]. - There is skepticism regarding new developments in commercial real estate, but opportunities are emerging in markets like San Francisco, suggesting a unique moment for investment [20][21]. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - The upcoming IPO for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is being closely monitored, with expectations that the structure will maintain some form of government guarantee to protect investors and keep borrowing costs stable for consumers [11][16]. - The director of FHFA has been proactive in preparing these companies for public offerings, focusing on maximizing returns for taxpayers [13][14].

Consumer Sentiment & Economic Outlook - Consumers are struggling with higher interest rates, especially concerning housing affordability [2][3] - Businesses are generally performing well, with optimism growing due to new tariffs [3] Deposit Insurance Reform - Regional banks and larger banks have a discrepancy in deposit share, with larger banks being more aggressive [4][5] - The current deposit insurance system is considered broken, favoring larger banks with an implicit guarantee over deposits [6][7] - The market share of the largest four banks has doubled since 2008-2010, unintended by Dodd-Frank [7] - After SVB's failure in 2023, 87% of deposits left regional banks for larger banks [8] - Regional banks are crucial for providing loans to Main Street, exemplified by their greater involvement in PPP loans (larger banks provided only 16%) [9] Competition & Future Trends - Stable coins pose a potential competitive threat to both regional and larger banks [10][11] - Some larger banks operate more like hedge funds, with lower loan-to-deposit ratios (e.g., JP Morgan at 55%) compared to regional banks (e.g., WAFED at 98%) [12][13] - AI is expected to significantly impact headcount, potentially reducing it by around 50% in the next decade [16][17]

Core Insights - The U.S. is experiencing a housing shortage of nearly 4 million homes, making new residential construction essential for restoring affordability and expanding homeownership access [1] - Realtor.com® has identified the top metropolitan areas for new construction based on availability, affordability, sustainability, and demand for newly built homes [2][3] Summary by Sections New Construction Hotspots - The analysis covered the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, focusing on new-home share of listings, price premiums over existing homes, climate risk differences, and buyer demand [2] - The top 10 metros for new construction include Fayetteville, Boise, Nashville, McAllen, and others, where builders are meeting local buyer needs effectively [2][7] Market Dynamics - In Fayetteville, newly built homes constitute over 40% of listings and are priced below existing homes, with a median price of $399,717 compared to $418,375 for existing homes [4] - Boise leads in new construction listings at over 51%, with a median listing price of $540,743, which is lower than existing homes priced at $559,517 [5] - Newly built homes in these metros often feature modern designs and energy efficiency, with lower risks for natural hazards compared to older homes [3] Regional Trends - The report highlights that while the South dominates the list, other regions like the Midwest and Northeast are also represented, indicating a nationwide trend [8] - Many top metros are midsize cities or college towns with low living costs, attracting new residents and investments [8] Policy and Advocacy - The report emphasizes the need for local, state, and federal governments to enact policies that reduce regulatory burdens and promote affordable housing construction [9] - The Realtor.com® "Let America Build" initiative aims to break down barriers to new home construction and has gained support from the U.S. Conference of Mayors [10] Ranking Criteria - The ranking criteria for the top metros include new construction share of listings, price premiums, climate risk scores, and market demand metrics [12][13]

Core Viewpoint - The report from Linping Housing Big Data Research Institute indicates that the housing price-to-income ratio in 100 key cities is projected to be 10.0 in the first half of 2025, a decrease of 2.9% compared to 2024, marking a continued decline since 2019, with a nearly 30% drop since then [1][3]. Summary by Sections Housing Price-to-Income Ratio Trends - The decline in the housing price-to-income ratio since 2023 has shifted from being driven by "income growth" to "housing price decline," leading to reduced household assets and impacting purchasing confidence and income expectations [3]. - The rate of decline in the housing price-to-income ratio for the first half of 2025 is significantly smaller than the sharp declines observed in 2023 and 2024 [3]. Regional Performance - The housing price-to-income ratio is positively correlated with the economic conditions of the regions, with economically developed areas generally exhibiting higher ratios. The top three economic circles with the highest ratios are the Straits Economic Circle (15.1), the Pearl River Delta (13.9), and the Yangtze River Delta (10.8), indicating significant purchasing pressure for residents [4]. - Xiamen and Fuzhou, both located in the Straits Economic Circle, rank among the top 15 cities with the highest housing price-to-income ratios for the first half of 2025, with ratios of 21.1 and 16.7, respectively [5][6]. Overall Market Outlook - Overall, the housing price-to-income ratios across eight major regions are expected to continue declining in the first half of 2025, with decreases ranging from 1.5% to 3.4%. The Straits Economic Circle is noted as having the highest ratio and the largest decline, influenced by significant price drops in cities like Xiamen and Fuzhou, as well as a slowdown in income growth [8].