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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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Roll with the Changes

Interest Rates up March 2022

The Fed finally raised short-term interest rates last week. The market is expecting a very fast and steep rate hike cycle as this chart shows. This is a far cry from Powell reiterating that the Fed wouldn’t raise rates until the end of 2023 at the earliest.

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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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It's Getting Interesting

Interest Rate

The Fed blinked and acknowledged that inflation may not be transitory. When combined with its perception that the labor market is on the way to being healed, Jerome Powell has moved up the Fed’s estimate of the first rate hike by more than a year.

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What Is Top of Mind? Housing or Inflation?

Housing Inflation

The answer? See for yourself, is it inflation or housing or both?

If Google Trends are any indication then inflation has been a top-of-mind topic.

Inflation

CPI – Consumer Price Index

This is not surprising as one has to be a survivalist living far away from civilization and fully self-sufficient to have not been impacted by rising prices and slower delivery and service times.

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Labor Market Inflection Point

unemployment

Last week was my 34th anniversary at CWS. I have been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people over all of these years and to be blessed with my amazing partners Steve and Mike.

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Keep your Eyes on the Road but Never Lose Sight of the Destination

Interest Rates Keep your Eyes on the Road

Investing has some parallels with driving. It’s important to have a destination that keeps you on course. I think of the destination as financial goals rooted in thoughtful consideration of powerful trends upon which to capitalize such that the wind can be put at your back while also being fully cognizant of what exposures you may have that can lead to a permanent loss of capital based on shorter-term issues arising.

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You Can't Divorce the Observer from the Observed

separating the observed from the observer

I keep focusing my blog posts on economic data via chart representation because we’re in one of those times that needs to be monitored closely for trend reversals (disinflation to inflation) and a change in the Fed’s reaction function (supporting Main Street vs Wall Street).

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