Housing and Economic Research
Original research and analysis on housing trends, the economy and the mortgage market
Freddie Mac First-Time Homebuyer Affordability Map: A Novel Approach to Measure Affordability for Future Borrowers
In this research, we propose a new methodology to evaluate the local affordability for future borrowers based on their credit characteristics and income distribution. For a given metro area, our First-Time Homebuyer Affordability Map calculates the share of "Mortgage Ready" renters that have enough income to purchase a home bought by a recent first-time homebuyer.
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July 20, 2022
Quarterly Forecast: Market Slowdown will Continue as High Rates and Prices Exacerbate Affordability Challenges
Rising mortgage rates and house price appreciation will continue driving a slowdown in the single-family purchase market. Homebuyer demand will moderate, rebalancing from the hot housing market of the last two years to a more normal pace of activity. More
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June 29, 2022
Majority of Consumers Say They Would Consider Purchasing a Manufactured Home
With positive national sentiment, manufactured housing may be an untapped affordable housing solution. More
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June 22, 2022
In Pursuit of Affordable Housing: The Migration of Homebuyers within the U.S.—Before and After the Pandemic
In this Research Note, the first of a three-part series on migration, we compare net migration of homebuyers across U.S. metropolitan areas ("internal migration") and explore the patterns of metro-to-metro migration flows. More
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June 17, 2022
Housing Sentiment in the Second Quarter of 2022
In the second quarter of 2022, market confidence in the housing market has reached its lowest point since the onset of the pandemic. More
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June 9, 2022
What Drove Home Price Growth and Can it Continue?
Home prices, the best single indicator of whether market conditions favor buyers or sellers, jumped 33% nationally over the past two years. What is behind the strength of the housing market, and can it continue? More
