Key Takeaways ARM applications reached 12.9% of total mortgage applications in September—the highest since 2008—though the share has since declined to around 6%-8% as fixed rates have eased. Adjustable-rate mortgages contributed significantly to the 2008 housing crisis, as many borrowers with poor credit struggled to make payments when their rates increased. High mortgage rates have been overwhelming homebuyers for the past three years, and some are turning to a mortgage option that helped fuel the ...

'Somewhere to put worker bees': Why Canada's micro-condos are losing their appeal2 hours agoNadine YousifSenior Canada reporterWatch: BBC reporter reacts to shockingly small $350K condo in TorontoMaggie Hildebrand's first apartment in Toronto had a kitchen, a dining table, a workspace and a bed – all in the same 300-square-foot room.It was a decent home at first, close enough to her job downtown and with all the bare necessities for daily living.But it didn't take long for the 28-year-old to feel boxed-in. ...

Why can’t the government drop ALL mortgage rates to 2% for every single family home as the primary residence ONLY.Wouldn’t that solve the housing crisis?Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone):America should have the lowest interest rates in the world! Trump will fix it!It makes no sense the wealthiest country with the dominant currency has interest rates higher than 34 other countries. ...

Airbnb may finally pay the price of long-simmering tensions about overtourism in Spain. The Spanish government announced on Monday that it has fined the online rentals giant 64 million euros ($75 million) for advertising unlicensed rental listings in the country. This decision is the latest in several months of back-and-forths, as the government previously ordered Airbnb to remove more than 120,000 listings it identified as unlicensed. While Spain's Consumer Affairs Ministry said the fine was a final decisi ...

Dueling approaches over how to fix America’s housing crisis are splitting Minnesota’s Twin Cities https://t.co/Kdq6sEk7Nt ...

New York developers are transforming office buildings into new apartments in a bid to help offset the city’s worst housing crisis in decades https://t.co/EgY1u08ceb ...

Group 1 - The US housing market is experiencing a crisis characterized by stagnant home prices, high mortgage rates, and declining existing home sales, indicating that the market is not crashing but is in a slow state of recovery [1] - The focus on sustained profitability, including strong margins, stable and expanding free cash flow, and high returns on invested capital, is emphasized as a more reliable driver of returns compared to valuation alone [1] - The investment strategy includes a dual emphasis on undervalued growth stocks and high-quality dividend growers, reflecting a long-term investment approach [1] Group 2 - The analyst has no current stock or derivative positions in the companies mentioned but may initiate a long position in the near future, indicating potential interest in specific stocks [2] - The article expresses personal opinions of the analyst and does not represent any business relationship with the companies mentioned, highlighting an independent perspective [2]

Monetary Policy & Economic Outlook - Bank of Korea believes monetary policy alone cannot control the housing crisis, but is mindful that ample liquidity wouldn't slow the fire [1] - Rate cuts are still on the table due to GDP performing higher than expected and resilient trade [3] - The forecast for this year's growth is 4.9%, well below potential GDP, and 1.6% for next year [4] - The official position is to maintain the easing monetary cycle given the negative output gap, but the magnitude and timing depend on new data [5] - Korea's potential GDP growth rate is probably between 1.8% and 2% due to rapid aging [6] Bond Market & Yields - Bond market yields are reacting not only to domestic factors but also global factors such as the possibility of the US Fed decision and the dollar's movements [7][8] - There is concern that surging yields will affect the monetary transmission mechanism [9] - The Bank of Korea has cut interest rates by 300 basis points since last October and anticipates an easing cycle [9] Trade & Investment - The trade deal between the US and Korea is considered a good development that helps reduce uncertainties regarding tariffs [11] - Implementing the trade deal requires parliamentary approval and enactment of new laws [12] - A commercially viable and win-win program for both the US and Korea is desired, potentially through joint ventures combining US science strengths with Korean application and manufacturing technology [13] - One key focus has been the $350 billion investment fund in the U S [13] Currency & Financial Stability - The Korean market is excessively sensitive to uncertainties affecting the exchange rate, including US stock prices, US economic shutdowns, US Fed policy, and US-China trade relationships [14][15][16] - Depreciation in the Korean Won is hard to judge due to numerous fundamentals [16] - The current level of the Korean Won exchange is mostly dominated by domestic investment abroad, and foreign currency debt level is stable, suggesting no immediate financial stability concerns [18] - The Bank of Korea is willing to intervene if there is excessive movement in the exchange rate [19] Stock Market - Korean stock prices, particularly in the semiconductor industry, are influenced by US technology stock prices, leading to potential volatility [21] - There are concerns about the potential unraveling of high-tech stock prices, especially for domestic retail investors [22] - The price-to-book ratio (PBR) is 1.1%, which is considered below other countries' levels, suggesting the stock market is not significantly overvalued [20]

Housing Market Analysis - Housing crisis is a national emergency [1] - There is a clear connection between fertility rate and housing [1]

In 1906, Sears Robuck was the leading retail company in the country, a pioneering corporate giant, revolutionizing American commerce over the previous two decades. Famous for the extensive Sears catalog, Americans could buy just about anything from this book, from tools to clothing to even live animals. However, one area of the catalog was underperforming, building supplies.Business was down and local manager Frank Kushell was tasked with figuring out how to improve sales. Frank's solution. What if we packa ...