{"id":848972,"date":"2025-05-17T09:11:59","date_gmt":"2025-05-17T14:11:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/17\/may-16-2025-economic-and-housing-market-update-realtor-com-research\/"},"modified":"2025-05-17T09:11:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T14:11:59","slug":"may-16-2025-economic-and-housing-market-update-realtor-com-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/17\/may-16-2025-economic-and-housing-market-update-realtor-com-research\/","title":{"rendered":"May 16, 2025 Economic and Housing Market Update &#8211; Realtor.com Research"},"content":{"rendered":"<div role=\"main\">\n<div id=\"main_content\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMay 16, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-del=\"avatar\" alt=\"Danielle Hale\" src=\"https:\/\/rdceconomics.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Danielle-Hale-150x150.jpeg\" height=\"90\" width=\"90\">                                            <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\/\/rdceconomics.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/WeeklyVideoHeaderHouse.png\" alt decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rdceconomics.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/WeeklyVideoHeaderHouse.png 1155w, https:\/\/rdceconomics.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/WeeklyVideoHeaderHouse-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/rdceconomics.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/WeeklyVideoHeaderHouse-1024x450.png 1024w, https:\/\/rdceconomics.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/WeeklyVideoHeaderHouse-768x338.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" >\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"As Inventory Grows, Sellers Should Think Twice Before Overreaching on Price\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JKbfFvLAdVc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4><strong>May 16, 2025<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/team\/\"><span>Realtor.com\u00ae economics team<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLmlKLrMX62MaN_8ny9hJdpyVoDfUDNjM8\"><span> video<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/video-economic-and-housing-market-update-may-16-2025\/\"><span>update<\/span><\/a><span> gives you the relevant economic and real estate information you need to know each week every Friday to navigate the housing market as a homebuyer, home seller, or industry professional.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">For the week ending May 16, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/\">Realtor.com\u00ae<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/team-member\/danielle-hale\/\"> Chief Economist Danielle Hale<\/a> discusses the latest data on small business optimism, retail sales, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/cpi-inflation-april-2025\/\">inflation<\/a>.\u00a0 She reviews the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/freddie-mac-mortgage-rates-may-15-2025\/\">mortgage rates<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/weekly-housing-trends-view-data-week-may-10-2025\/\">Realtor.com weekly housing data<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/new-home-construction-april-2025\/\">housing starts<\/a>.\u00a0 Finally, because May is Affordable Housing month, she\u2019ll share insights from the latest <a href=\"http:\/\/realtor.com\">Realtor.com<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/april-2025-rent\/\">Rental Trends report<\/a> and a partner report conducted with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/research-and-statistics\/housing-statistics\">National Association of Realtors\u00ae<\/a> on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/2025-affordability-report\/\">affordability of currently for-sale homes<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Reports and articles referenced:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>April 2025 Rental Trends Report:<\/span><span><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/april-2025-rent\/\"><span>https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/april-2025-rent\/<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Affordability Report:<\/span><span><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/2025-affordability-report\/\"><span>https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/2025-affordability-report\/<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Weekly Housing Trends Report:<\/span><span><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/weekly-housing-trends-view-data-week-may-10-2025\/\"><span>https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/weekly-housing-trends-view-data-week-may-10-2025\/<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Commentary on Mortgage Rates \u2013 May 15, 2025:<\/span><span><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/freddie-mac-mortgage-rates-may-15-2025\/\"><span>https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/freddie-mac-mortgage-rates-may-15-2025\/<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Commentary on April 2025 Consumer Price Index:<\/span><span><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/cpi-inflation-april-2025\/\"><span>https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/cpi-inflation-april-2025\/<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Commentary on April 2025 New Residential Construction:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/new-home-construction-april-2025\/\">https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/new-home-construction-april-2025\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>I\u2019m <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/team-member\/danielle-hale\/\"><span>Danielle Hale<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/team-member\/danielle-hale\/\"><span>Chief Economist at Realtor.com<\/span><span>\u00ae<\/span><\/a><span>. This week I\u2019m going to cover the latest data on small business optimism, retail sales, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/cpi-inflation-april-2025\/\"><span>inflation<\/span><\/a><span>.\u00a0 I\u2019ll review the latest <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/freddie-mac-mortgage-rates-may-15-2025\/\"><span>mortgage rates<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/weekly-housing-trends-view-data-week-may-10-2025\/\"><span>Realtor.com weekly housing data<\/span><\/a><span>, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/new-home-construction-april-2025\/\"><span>housing starts<\/span><\/a><span>.\u00a0 Finally, because May is Affordable Housing month, I\u2019ll share insights from the latest <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/realtor.com\"><span>Realtor.com<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/april-2025-rent\/\"><span>Rental Trends report<\/span><\/a><span> and a report on the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/2025-affordability-report\/\"><span>affordability of currently for-sale homes<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Let\u2019s start with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfib.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/NFIB-SBET-Report-April-2025.pdf\"><span>small businesses whose optimism waned in April<\/span><\/a><span> as job openings went unfilled and respondents reported concerns about what\u2019s ahead for the economy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Looking at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/retail\/marts\/www\/marts_current.pdf\"><span>government data on retail sales<\/span><\/a><span>, while the month to month change was lackluster, sales rose by roughly 5% overall year to year, with sales at furniture stores up while gasoline stations saw sales drop.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Retail sales are not adjusted for inflation, which was likely a factor for gas stations. In fact, falling energy prices helped hold the overall <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/cpi-inflation-april-2025\/\"><span>CPI increase<\/span><\/a><span> to 2.3% annually, its lowest in 50 months.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Amid ongoing trade tensions, it\u2019s worth noting that the relief in this inflation report is based on what happened in April. In the meanwhile some retailers, most notably Walmart, have announced <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/business\/retail\/walmart-wmt-q1-earnings-report-stock-2026-b978bcf5\"><span>planned price increases<\/span><\/a><span> to navigate tariffs ahead. The expectation of higher prices ahead helps to explain why <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/freddie-mac-mortgage-rates-may-15-2025\/\"><span>mortgage rates ticked higher<\/span><\/a><span> and continue to be more of an inhibitor than a catalyst for home sales.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Looking at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/weekly-housing-trends-view-data-week-may-10-2025\/\"><span>Realtor.com weekly housing data<\/span><\/a><span> we see that the number of homeowners choosing to sell continues to be higher than one-year ago which is pushing up the number of for-sale homes. The higher level of inventory has kept asking prices relatively flat this week and time on market has grown, a signal that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/news\/trends\/home-sellers-unrealistic-overpriced-stale\/\"><span>sellers should think twice before overreaching on price<\/span><\/a><span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>We also learned that tariff uncertainty likely <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/new-home-construction-april-2025\/\"><span>held builders back in April<\/span><\/a><span>, with permits and completions both slipping for the month. The drops were most pronounced in single-family building while multi-family starts actually moved notably higher..<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Finally, May is Affordable Housing month. The <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/realtor.com\"><span>Realtor.com<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/april-2025-rent\/\"><span>April Rental Trends report<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0 found that while rents still command a hefty slice of the typical paycheck, that share dropped nationwide and in just about all major markets in the last year. Rental affordability improved the most in parts of the West and South.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>In the for-sale market, we partnered with the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/research-and-statistics\/housing-statistics\"><span>National Association of Realtors\u00ae<\/span><\/a><span> to study affordability and found that while inventory was encouragingly up overall, some income groups in some markets actually saw a decline in what\u2019s affordable to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>Nationwide, we saw gains in the share of inventory that is affordable to mid- and upper-middle income buyers, while the biggest gap in affordability is for those earning less than $50,000 per year. The key lesson here is that we need to not only build more homes, but concentrate on lower-priced homes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">You can find all the details, including full reports and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/data\">housing data for download<\/a>, at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/\">realtor.com\/research<\/a>.\u00a0 You can also follow us on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RDC_Economics\">X<\/a> (formerly <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RDC_Economics\">twitter<\/a>) for real time updates. And <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/realtordotcomecon\/\">instagram<\/a> for graphics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Subscribe to our mailing list to receive monthly updates and notifications on the latest data and research.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/video-economic-and-housing-market-update-may-16-2025\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><br \/>\n Danielle Hale<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>May 16, 2025 May 16, 2025 The Realtor.com\u00ae economics team video update gives you the relevant economic and real estate information you need to know each week every Friday to navigate the housing market as a homebuyer, home seller, or industry professional. For the week ending May 16, Realtor.com\u00ae Chief Economist Danielle Hale discusses the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":848973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22270,22731],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-848972","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economic","8":"category-housing"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/848972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=848972"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/848972\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/848973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=848972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=848972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=848972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}