Zelman Insights
Exclusive insights and analyses from our industry-leading research team
A More Detailed Look at Sizeable Drop in Recent Births
October 19, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
In June of this year, we analyzed preliminary 2017 birth data that revealed a surprising 2.3% drop from 2016, including a 1.3% decline for women at least 25 years old, which reversed similar growth in the prior year. With more detailed data ...
Filed Under
demographics
Investors, Executives Debate Housing Uncertainty at 11th Annual Housing Summit
October 05, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
Last week in Boston, Zelman & Associates hosted its 11th Annual Housing Summit, welcoming over 600 institutional investors and industry executives. Over the course of two days, the most important aspects of the housing outlook were detailed ...
Filed Under
macro housing
Has the New Home Premium to Existing Homes Gotten Too Wide?
October 05, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
Of late, there is an argument surfacing that new home pricing has become too expensive relative to the existing home alternative. It goes something like this: the median new home price reported by the Census Bureau over the last four quarters ...
Filed Under
affordabilityhome pricinghomebuilding
Refuting Three Common Misperceptions of Wall Street Single-Family Landlords
September 21, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
In 2004, when homeownership was at an all-time high, there were over 11 million single-family rental households that provided shelter for over 32 million people. Although renting a home has always been a housing option, representing more than ...
Filed Under
institutional investorssingle-family rental
A Look at the Pitfalls of the Most-Cited Household Formation Time Series
September 07, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
Once a quarter, the Census Bureau publishes the results of its Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS), which includes estimates for occupied housing units, also referred to as households, vacancies and the homeownership rate. Given its frequency, the ...
Filed Under
household formation
Affordability Reportedly at 10-Year Low – Is it Fear Mongering?
August 24, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
Two weeks ago, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) published its Housing Opportunity Index, which is intended to frame housing affordability across the country. The index is calculated on a 0-100 scale, with higher values aligned ...
Filed Under
affordabilityhome pricing
Worried About Boomers Selling? – Busting the “McMansion” Myth
August 10, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
As of 2017, we estimate that there were approximately 78 million single-family detached homes in the country, of which 65 million were owner-occupied. We further estimate that Baby Boomers – defined as people born from 1946-64 – owned almost ...
Young Adult Homeownership Rises Again and We’re Optimistic it is Just the Start
July 27, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
According to data just released by the Census Bureau, the national homeownership rate continued its cyclical recovery, averaging 64.3% in 2Q18. This is 60 basis points stronger than in 2Q17, marking the sixth consecutive quarter that year-over-year ...
Filed Under
homeownershipmillennials
Don’t Let Fiction Override Facts When it Comes to Millennials, Births and Housing
July 13, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
In late May, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released preliminary 2017 birth data. The totals were surprisingly weak after six years of strength among key age cohorts. Naturally, the weakness spurred numerous ...
Filed Under
demographicsmacro housingmillennials
2018 Economic Activity on Pace for Biggest Upside Surprise This Cycle
July 13, 2018 by Zelman & Associates
Economists have the unenviable task of predicting the future across a wide host of sectors, handicapping international and political influences along the way. The crystal ball requirement obviously leaves the profession with a mixed track record ...
Filed Under
macro housing
affordabilityapartmentsbaby boomersbuild-for-rentconstruction lendingdemographicsentry-levelexisting home saleshome improvementhome pricinghomebuildinghomeownershiphousehold formationhousinghousing startsinstitutional investorsinterest ratesmacro housingmillennialsmortgagemortgage ratesnew home salesreal estate servicesrefinancesg&asingle-family rentalstocksstudent debtsupplysurvey