CMF Quote of the Week

“Owning a home used to be the crux of the American dream, and while many still consider it a rite of passage, a lot of people are opting to rent for longer because they can’t afford to buy a place of their own. Even people who can afford to buy homes are choosing leases over mortgages, often because they want a flexible, low-maintenance lifestyle, or want to invest their money somewhere other than real estate.”
–Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather

Redfin Reports Renter Population Grew 1% in Fourth Quarter

The number of renter households in America increased 0.8% year over year to 45.4 million in the fourth quarter—the slowest growth since the first quarter of 2023, according to a new report from Redfin.

Home Flipping Declines Again, ATTOM Finds

Nearly 298,000 single-family homes and condos in the United States were flipped last year, down 7.7% from 2023 and 32.4% from the recent peak of nearly 441,000 reached in 2022, according to ATTOM, Irvine, Calif.

Chart of the Week: Commercial and Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding

According to MBA’s Quarterly Mortgage Debt Outstanding Report, total commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased by 3.7% year-over-year, rising from $4.62 trillion in Q4 2023 to $4.79 trillion in Q4 2024. This growth reflects continued investment in commercial real estate, with sector-specific variations in debt allocation.