Hello my friends,
I hope you’re all doing well. And before anything else… I want to take a moment to say Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms out there. 🌸
Your love, strength, and dedication truly make the world a better place. We celebrate you.
And as always, thank you — for your trust, your support, and your referrals. It truly means a lot to me. 🙏
Let’s talk about what’s happening in the market this week, just like we’re sitting together face to face.
Right after the Fed, led by Jerome Powell, decided to keep interest rates unchanged, we saw inflation jump. The latest PCE report came in at 3.5% year-over-year, mainly driven by higher oil prices tied to the ongoing US–Iran conflict.
Because of that, mortgage rates moved up a bit — but here’s something important:
They are still about half a percent lower than this time last year, which is helping affordability more than people realize.
Now let’s talk about jobs.
According to the ADP, job growth is still steady, but the recent upward momentum has slowed. We’re seeing about 160,000 jobs expected for April, which is decent — but not strong enough to signal a booming economy.
So again, we’re seeing a pattern:
Not weak… but not overly strong either.
Now here’s where it gets really interesting — housing.
According to the Case-Shiller Home Price Index, home prices are basically flat right now:
- Up just 0.1% month-over-month
- Only 0.7% year-over-year
That’s one of the slowest growth periods we’ve seen in years.
And what’s even more interesting is that many major cities are actually seeing small price declines, while others — especially in the Midwest and Northeast — are still growing.
What does that tell us?
👉 Real estate is no longer one national story — it’s local, very local.
On the bigger economic picture, GDP came in slightly lower than expected at 2.0%, and much of that growth is coming from AI and healthcare sectors — not broad consumer strength.
At the same time, the Fed is expected to hold rates steady for most of 2026, with very little chance of rate cuts. So we are likely in a “higher-for-longer” environment when it comes to interest rates.
So what does all of this mean for you?
We are in a market where:
- Mortgage rates are stable but sensitive to global events
- Job growth is steady but slowing
- Home prices are flattening, not crashing
- And opportunities are very location-specific
This is a market that rewards planning, strategy, and good guidance.
One Important Suggestion for You
I always like to leave you with something practical…
I strongly encourage you to visit my website and check your instant home value.
Not just out of curiosity — but to make sure your home insurance coverage reflects today’s true value of your property. With changes in prices and construction costs, this is more important than ever.
You can also:
If you’re thinking about buying, selling, or just want to talk through your situation, I’m always here for you.
Let’s stay connected, and let’s make smart decisions together.
Wishing you all a beautiful week — and again, Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful moms. 🌷
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