Real Estate Market Fundamentals: The Local Economy

The housing market often reflects what’s happening in the economy. When times are good, there’s money in the economy to invest in housing. If times get tough, the Federal Reserve may intervene to reduce the pool of spending money. Unfortunately, when the Federal Bank starts looking at the possibility of an interest rate hike, it usually means there are leaner times ahead for homeowners and real estate investors alike. Keep reading to learn more about how the local economy influences the real estate market.

How Does the Federal Reserve Determine Interest Rates?

Many factors will cause the Federal Reserve / Central Bank to fiddle with interest rates. In general, though, it’s the state of the economy that determines the interest rate.

High interest rates make credit and mortgages more expensive, reducing the amount of money circulating in the local economy. Of course, some areas are harder hit than others when interest rates change.

The top end of the market takes a heavier hit due to significant price differences. After all, one percent of one million is a lot of money, but 1% of $400,000 can hurt more for lower to middle-income earners, which is the demographic where mom and dad investors have most of their finances tied up.

Why Are Interest Rates Critical to The Real Estate Market?

nterest rates influence the value of a property. When interest rates go up, credit gets more expensive, and property buyers’ borrowing capacity decreases. Buyers who may have been considering properties close to the city will need to look further out. In these cases, appealing suburbs outside the metro area can suddenly benefit from higher values.

Housing Starts Versus Home Sales

The housing market has two main sectors: home sales and housing starts. Home sales include established homes, while housing starts refer to new homes that have not yet been built.

The volume of housing starts, usually in brand-new suburbs with the latest, most up-to-date infrastructure, increases when the economy is full steam ahead. After all, who doesn’t love a brand new, shiny home that’s never been lived in before?

Housing starts will influence the local economy in many ways, including employment, land sales, raw building materials, and the businesses and support services that grow up around new suburbs. A weaker economy usually creates a corresponding drop in new home sales and a slight uptick in the sale of established homes.

Slow economies can have a dramatic effect on the housing market. Economic slowdowns influence the local economy as finance gets more expensive and the number of buyers in new home builds dries up. The reverse is true in a healthy economy.

Whatever the state of the real estate investment market, you can always find lucrative opportunities when you know where to look. However, it can be challenging to know where to put your investment dollars when you are not immersed in the property industry every day. Invest with confidence by talking with the experts who have successfully navigated the property market and consistently come out on top.