What caused the 40% price increase in houses and rents, and what are governments doing to try to fix the problem. Topics covered include: Why 50% of the global population is frustrated with the lack of affordable housing How the housing collapse as part of the Great Financial Crisis contributed to today's affordability crisis How central bank QE programs have magnified the housing crisis How restrictive zoning and short-term rentals contribute to the housing … [Read more...]
481: How to Navigate the Crippling Home Insurance Crisis
Why are homeowners seeing home insurance premiums increases of up to 70%, as David has? What can you do if your insurer drops you, you get a huge premium increase, or you can no longer afford coverage? Topics covered include: What are the primary drivers of home insurance price increases Why these increases don't show up in the U.S. consumer price index How the reinsurance market works and why reinsurers are passing on 50% premium increases to property and casualty … [Read more...]
435: Is It Better to Rent or Buy a House?
How to decide whether to rent a house or apartment or purchase a home or condo. What has been the financial return from owning a house? Topics covered include: How much have home prices increased in major cities since 1980 What drove the greater than 50% jump in home prices in some U.S. cities since 2020 Why there aren't more new starter homes What will it take for the housing shortage to abate so houses can be more affordable Why now could be a more advantageous time to … [Read more...]
357: Is a Housing Crash Coming?
What are the demand and supply drivers of home prices? What is the current status of those drivers and do they suggest a housing price crash is imminent, particularly given mortgage forbearance programs are ending? Topics covered include: How much have home prices appreciated in the past year compared to historical rates What has driven the demand shock for housing Why U.S. houses are so much more affordable compared to earlier periods How big is the housing shortage in the … [Read more...]
317: How To Buy In A Hot Housing Market
U.S. home prices are on fire and sales are skyrocketing. Here are 8 rules of thumb for buying a house in a hot housing market when there are multiple bidders over the asking price. Topics covered include: What are the latest metrics on U.S. home sales, prices, and valuations Why are homes sales increasing and prices soaring and how likely are they to fall Why David is buying a different house (again) in a hot housing market What are rules of thumb that can help us find the … [Read more...]
258: How Financialization Pushes Up Home Prices
How the desire by corporations and individuals to turn single-family homes into rental units is pushing up home prices, making it more difficult for first-time homebuyers to purchase a house. In this episode you’ll learn: Why the United Nations is accusing certain countries and corporations of treating housing as a tradable financial commodity rather than a human right. Why Blackstone believes it is helping to solve the housing crisis by buying and renting single-family homes … [Read more...]
256 Plus: Economic and Financial Cycles, Demographics, Private REITs and Long/Short ETFs
In Plus episode 256 for the week of June 15, 2019, we consider the difference between economic and financial cycles. We review debt metrics for U.S. households and businesses. We look at investing themes based on U.S. demographic trends. We explore the pros and cons of private REITs versus public REITs. Finally, we analyze long/short stock investing as practiced by the WisdomTree Dynamic Long Short U.S. Equity ETF. … [Read more...]
238: The U.S. Is More Socialist Than Denmark Regarding Home Mortgages
How the U.S. mortgage market differs from the Danish mortgage market. Danish mortgage rates and defaults are lower than the U.S.. and unlike the U.S., the Danish government is not involved in protecting investors against mortgage defaults. This episode also explores how the mortgage broker industry has evolved since the housing crash. Photo by Nick Karvounis In this episode you’ll learn: How mortgages are securitized in the U.S. by government-sponsored enterprises and investors are … [Read more...]
235: What If Home Prices Always Declined
How to evaluate the purchase of a depreciating asset such as buying a house in Japan where prices have declined 23 out of the past 29 years. Photo by Manki Kim In this episode you’ll learn: There are no magical solutions to dealing with a housing bubble.Why Japanese home prices have declined for decades and why the houses are so cold in the winter.Why buy a house even if it will fall in price and how to go about doing so. Show Notes Designing Your Life: How To … [Read more...]
202 Plus: Housing Crisis, Shorting Bubbles and Implementing Trades
This week April 28, 2018, we analyze what to do when housing is selling at record prices and there is little rental inventory. In short, when there is a housing crisis due to lack of supply and high demand from second home owners. We review some of the hurdles to shorting assets that are in a bubble. We also look at how at why I tend to implement portfolio changes all at once versus moving into positions over a period of weeks or months. … [Read more...]
