• Research Note | July 12, 2021

    Has An Urban Exodus Occurred? Residential Environment Trends Shaping the Future of Where We Live

    As we noted in a previous report, there was an observed shift of home purchases in the last decade, even before the onset of COVID-19, from urban areas to suburbs and rural towns. We went on to link several possible socioeconomic factors driving the ongoing trend of household migration away from urban areas. More

    Line graph showing year-over-year inventory change of homes for sale by neighborhood type
  • Research Note | June 2, 2021

    Rural Home Purchases Outpaced Urban Purchases Through the 2010s

    The COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in homeowner mobility. There has been a growing trend of moving away from urban areas as housing preferences have shifted towards larger homes that are more conducive to remote work and virtual learning. More

    Color bar graphs showing home purchases increasing most in rural areas between 2010 and 2019
  • Research Note | May 12, 2021

    Almost 50% of Black and Hispanic Borrowers Could Save $1,200 Annually by Refinancing

    The recent record low mortgage interest rates provide many borrowers with an opportunity to save thousands of dollars by lowering their mortgage rate through refinancing. But a closer look at who is refinancing demonstrates that many borrowers who could benefit from refinancing still aren’t pursuing the option. More

    Table chart showing mortgage rates for older versus newer loans
  • Research Note | May 7, 2021

    Housing Supply: A Growing Deficit

    In a recent "Perspectives" piece about the housing supply shortage, Freddie Mac's Chief Economist, Sam Khater highlighted the growing deficit that the industry has been facing, not only during the pandemic but even before the pandemic hit. More

    Housing Supply: A Growing Deficit
  • Research Note | March 5, 2021

    Refinance Trends in 2020

    This past year was a busy year for the mortgage market. While the economy was in recession, record low mortgage interest rates contributed to refinance activity reaching near record highs. Many borrowers saved thousands of dollars by lowering their mortgage rate through refinances. This Research Note highlights some of the key trends defining refinance mortgage activity in 2020. More

    U.S. Single-family mortgage refinance originations (2020, US Dollars, billions)
  • Research Note | February 8, 2021

    Mortgage Forbearance and Performance during the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

    During the COVID-19 crisis, mortgage forbearance plans have played an important role in helping households manage their finances by providing short-term liquidity to mortgage borrowers. Mortgage forbearance plans temporarily remove the obligation of borrowers to make their monthly mortgage payment. More

    Table chart showing the month of first delinquency for loans in forebearance during COVID-19

Opinions, estimates, forecasts, and other views contained in this document are those of Freddie Mac’s economists and other researchers, do not necessarily represent the views of Freddie Mac or its management, and should not be construed as indicating Freddie Mac’s business prospects or expected results. Although the authors attempt to provide reliable, useful information, they do not guarantee that the information or other content in this document is accurate, current or suitable for any particular purpose. All content is subject to change without notice. All content is provided on an “as is” basis, with no warranties of any kind whatsoever. Information from this document may be used with proper attribution. Alteration of this document or its content is strictly prohibited. ©2024 by Freddie Mac.