Blog Archives

China Syndrome

China Syndrome

The evidence seems to be increasingly persuasive that economic growth is slowing materially. This is from the Economic Cycle Research Institute, which has a good track record of identifying turns in the business cycle. Its Weekly Leading Index is clearly showing a negative growth rate.

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Housing Economic Dependency: A Tale of Two Countries

I have always been fascinated by economic cycles. What I have learned over the years is that financial excesses that reverse into fear and revulsion are often catalysts for economic downturns. Real estate, commercial and/or residential, are often culprits because they are assets that can be leveraged which can magnify returns as well as often being influenced by tax advantages which can stimulate demand beyond its longer-term trend.

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Off Target

manufacturers the Fed inflation off target Jay Powell

Last week was brutal for retailers as major earnings announcements showed how they have been hit very hard by huge cost increases. Wal-Mart started the week off shocking the market with its very weak earnings outlook and then there was Target.

Target shares sink 25% after company says high costs, inventory woes hit profits

Its stock price got absolutely crushed in the wake of its results being released.

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This Space Is Getting Hot

Hot interest rates

There are things you can replace

And others you cannot

The time has come to weigh those things

This space is gettin’ hot

You know this space is gettin’

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Random Real Estate Musings Trends and Topics

Real Estate Mortgage increase

At CWS we have been heavily focused on growth-oriented markets that have large in-migration due to a competitive cost of living, high quality of life, and pro-business environment. This has led us to be heavily concentrated in metro areas such as Austin,

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Recession Watch

Recession Watch

There’s no question now that the Federal Reserve is in full hawkish mode. The release last week of the minutes of the previous FOMC meeting left no doubt that they are on an aggressive path to squelch inflation through demand destruction and tightening financial conditions.

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Space: The Final Frontier

Space the final frontier

There’s nothing like a challenge to focus one’s mind, attention, and organization of one’s life to meet that challenge. I was playing doubles last Tuesday night and right before the match, I received a text from someone who I play singles with fairly regularly.

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Housing: What Inning Are We in?

Housing innings apartments interest rates

Investors are always asking the question what inning are we in when it comes to where we are in a particular cycle. It’s a pertinent question related to housing as it has had a tremendous run in terms of home price appreciation, equity build-up among homeowners, and tremendous profits for builders and investors.

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Minutes by Minutes - FOMC

Federal Reserve angry with Jerome Powell

Hey, don’t you worry, I’ve been lied to

I’ve been here many times before

Girl, don’t you worry, I know where I stand

I don’t need this love,

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Flossing away that Gnawing Feeling in 2022

housing flossing 2021 gone

2021 is now in the history books and it should be a year worthy of study and reflection. We had to work through a full year of Covid and the huge collateral damage that it has done to people’s physical and mental health,

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