{"id":137818,"date":"2021-05-04T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=137818"},"modified":"2023-03-29T03:04:58","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T09:04:58","slug":"consumer-confidence-april-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/consumer-confidence-april-2021","title":{"rendered":"Will Increased Consumer Confidence Make Home-Buying Harder?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n      <iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?e=BIGPOC8205404472&#038;light=false\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe>  \n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Almost <a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/in-depth\/graphics\/2021\/01\/14\/covid-vaccine-distribution-by-state-how-many-covid-vaccines-have-been-given-in-us-how-many-people\/6599531002\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">45% of the US population has been vaccinated<\/a> with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, giving way to an improving job market and greater mobility. With the latest economic stimulus, many are receiving much-needed relief. With all these factors, consumer confidence spiked last month to its highest levels since the pandemic began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On paper, that sounds good. But as prices continue to climb in a real estate market that\u2019s already maxed out by buyer demand, will another influx of ready and able buyers make matters worse? Or will more sellers enter the market as the ones that have held out regain confidence in the economy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consumer confidence increases sharply in April<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a strong showing in March, The Conference Board&#8217;s Consumer Confidence Index<em> <\/em>reached a <a href=\"https:\/\/conference-board.org\/data\/consumerconfidence.cfm\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">score of 121.7 in April<\/a>, up from 109.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rapidly increasing confidence in the economy is largely due to the vaccine rollout and the recovering job market. Short-term business outlooks also increased moderately. The Expectations Index now sits at 109.8, up 1.5 points since the previous month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cConsumers\u2019 assessment of current conditions improved significantly in April, suggesting the economic recovery strengthened further in early Q2,\u201d said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. Consumers \u201cwere more upbeat about their income prospects, perhaps due to the improving job market and the recent round of stimulus checks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does this mean for real estate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While it\u2019s positive to see growth in consumer confidence, its effects on the current real estate market could make things even more interesting. As of now, housing prices are increasing at a rate much faster than anticipated, despite already being at a price point higher than ever before. <a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/fred.stlouisfed.org\/series\/CSUSHPINSA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The S&amp;P\/Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index<\/a> stands at 238 points as of February 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The overall gain in home prices has increased 12% year-over-year. Tight housing supply across markets and maxed out buyer demand has sent home prices through the roof. In April, homes sold in just 43 days on average\u201420 days faster than in April 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s important to keep the context of last April in mind. It was messy. Recall that it was the first full month of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Many real estate agents were considered \u201cnonessential workers\u201d and some markets were frozen. But the contrast in the average days on market remains stark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With buyer demand as high as it is, bidding wars have amounted into massive price increases. About half of the homes on the market are receiving multiple offers and most are selling well above list price. As consumer confidence continues to increase, basic economics would tell us that more buyers will enter the market because of stronger income growth, less anxiety, and increased mobility. And sellers who have held out due to COVID-19 uncertainty may finally list their home in hopes to take advantage of the market\u2019s prices before they flatten out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The question moving forward: Will there be enough sellers entering the market to give greater leeway to buyers and home prices? Or will supply get tighter and tighter, all leading up to an eventual market crash?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The internet seems to think the latter is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Online searches for &#8220;when is the housing market going to crash&#8221; are up big<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite growing consumer confidence, there\u2019s a lingering feeling that the housing market could come tumbling down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Data from Google suggests that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketwatch.com\/story\/is-the-u-s-housing-market-heading-for-a-crash-heres-what-the-experts-say-11619023745\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">searches of the keyphrase<\/a> \u201cwhen is the housing market going to crash\u201d has increased 2,450% through April. Of course, these searches come amid massive gains in housing prices, which have made many Americans reluctantly recall a not-so-long-ago time\u20142006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2006, the Case-Shiller Index had reached a high of 184 points, a historic price point. Fifteen years later, we\u2019ve left that number in the dust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpmorgan.com\/insights\/research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">J.P. Morgan Research<\/a> weighed in, saying \u201cAfter robust gains over the past five years, the nationwide nominal house price index is now 40% above its 2012 low-point and 4% above the peak reached in 2006. If 2006 was a historic bubble, then current price levels should be looked at more closely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But is there a need for too much concern? Experts don\u2019t think so. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fitchratings.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fitch Ratings<\/a>, a credit rating agency, has estimated that homes are overvalued by as much as 5.5% at the moment. Despite our recent gains, we\u2019re still dealing with higher than usual levels of unemployment and a recovering economy.  This leads economists and other experts to believe that these prices are unsustainable in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, many experts believe a mild correction is far more likely than a crash. Buyer demand remains high, especially for single-family homes. The economics of this housing market are inherently different than those found in 2006. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re not going to see a crash in the housing market, but we are expecting some cooling on the really unsustainable growth rates that we saw, particularly in 2020,\u201d said Robert Dietz, Chief Economist at the National Association of Home Builders. \u201cWhen home prices are growing faster than incomes, ultimately that is an unsustainable trend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2020 ushered in one of the strangest years in economics and real estate ever, but the fundamentals indicate the possibility of a calming wind on the horizon. Business as usual may return soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether that turns out to be the case or not is still left to the jury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n  <div id=\"posts_lists-block_609057a0a05db\" class=\"  my-10\">\n    <div class=\"\">\n      <!-- Column One -->\n      <div>\n                  <h2 class=\"mt-0 mb-1 js-toc-ignore\">\n            More real estate news from BiggerPockets          <\/h2>  \n                  \n                  <div class=\"mt-1 mb-0 text-sm mb-2 excerpt\">\n            <span data-sheets-value=\"{\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{\">Stay on top of the latest real estate news, trends, government policies, and more.<\/span>          <\/div>\n        \n                  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/category\/real-estate-news\" class=\"no-underline text-themeBlue-medium hover:underline uppercase font-semibold text-sm\" target=\"_blank\">News &amp; Trends<\/a>\n        \n        <div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-y-4 lg:gap-y-7 mt-5\">\n          \n<article \n\tid=\"post-185235\" \n\tclass=\"content-card mb-0 flex flex-col  post-185235 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-real-estate-news\">\n\n\t<header class=\"entry-header\">\t\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Image -->\n        \t\t\t<a class=\"post-thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/zillow-faces-major-lawsuit-over-alleged-monopoly\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"340\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/lawsuit_canva-340x225.jpg\" class=\"size-card w-full  m-0 aspect-[68\/45] object-scale-down wp-post-image\" alt=\"Zillow Faces a New Major Lawsuit Over an Alleged Monopoly\" title=\"\">\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t        \n\n\t\t<!-- Content Wrapper -->\n\t\t<div class=\"py-4 \">\t\n                            <div class=\"flex gap-4 justify-between items-center\">\n                    <!-- Category  -->\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/category\/real-estate-news\" class=\"transition-colors bg-themeBlue\/20 text-themeBlue-medium hover:bg-themeBlue hover:text-white px-2 py-1 mb-2 inline-block rounded-sm no-underline text-sm\" target=\"_blank\">News &amp; Trends<\/a>\n                    \n                                            <span class=\"text-sm text-gray-500 hidden lg:inline-block\">5 min read<\/span>\n                                    <\/div>\n            \n           <div class=\"flex gap-3 items-center my-2 flex-nowrap text-base\">\n                <!-- Avatar and Author Name -->\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/cropped-Jeff-V-Garcia-Photography-71788-scaled-1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"w-8 h-8 object-cover my-0 inline-block rounded-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><span class='leading-snug text-slate-500 flex items-center'><span class='hidden whitespace-nowrap sm:inline-block md:hidden lg:inline-block pr-1'><span class='posted-on'><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-10-17T10:26:15-06:00\">Oct 17, 2025<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2025-10-17T10:26:42-06:00\">Oct 17, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/contributors\/jeffvasishta\" class=\"no-underline line-clamp-1\" target=\"_blank\">Jeff Vasishta<\/a><\/span>            <\/div>\n\n            <!-- Post title -->\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"entry-title js-toc-ignore mt-4 mb-0 text-xl leading-snug text-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/zillow-faces-major-lawsuit-over-alleged-monopoly\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"whitespace-normal no-underline font-bold  text-slate visited:text-slate hover:text-themeBlue\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\tZillow Faces a New Major Lawsuit Over an Alleged Monopoly\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n                        <p class=\"text-lg font-normal mt-3 text-slate-500 mb-1 line-clamp-3\">If you want to buy, sell, or rent real estate in the U.S., Zillow appears to be the only game in town. That\u2019s according to the Semrush Traffic Analytics tool,&hellip;<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n     <footer class=\"flex justify-between mt-auto\">\n        <!-- Comment Count -->\n        \t\t<span class='flex items-center space-x-2 text-sm' x-cloak x-data='commentCount()' :class=\"parseFloat(commentCount) < 1 || commentCount == '' ? 'hidden' : 'flex'\">\n\t\t\n            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"h-5 w-5 text-slate text-opacity-50\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\">\n                <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M17 8h2a2 2 0 012 2v6a2 2 0 01-2 2h-2v4l-4-4H9a1.994 1.994 0 01-1.414-.586m0 0L11 14h4a2 2 0 002-2V6a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v6a2 2 0 002 2h2v4l.586-.586z\" \/>\n            <\/svg>\n\n            <span x-ref=\"comment_count\" class=\"disqus-comment-count text-slate text-opacity-80\" data-disqus-identifier=\"185235\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n        <\/span>\n\t    <\/footer>\n<\/article><!-- #post-185235 -->\n<article \n\tid=\"post-184780\" \n\tclass=\"content-card mb-0 flex flex-col  post-184780 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-real-estate-news\">\n\n\t<header class=\"entry-header\">\t\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Image -->\n        \t\t\t<a class=\"post-thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/fed-cuts-rates-as-employment-softens-but-real-estate-recovery-remains-uncertain\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"340\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/fed_canva-2-340x225.jpg\" class=\"size-card w-full  m-0 aspect-[68\/45] object-scale-down wp-post-image\" alt=\"Fed Cuts Rates as Employment Softens, But Real Estate Recovery Remains Uncertain\" title=\"\">\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t        \n\n\t\t<!-- Content Wrapper -->\n\t\t<div class=\"py-4 \">\t\n                            <div class=\"flex gap-4 justify-between items-center\">\n                    <!-- Category  -->\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/category\/real-estate-news\" class=\"transition-colors bg-themeBlue\/20 text-themeBlue-medium hover:bg-themeBlue hover:text-white px-2 py-1 mb-2 inline-block rounded-sm no-underline text-sm\" target=\"_blank\">News &amp; Trends<\/a>\n                    \n                                            <span class=\"text-sm text-gray-500 hidden lg:inline-block\">4 min read<\/span>\n                                    <\/div>\n            \n           <div class=\"flex gap-3 items-center my-2 flex-nowrap text-base\">\n                <!-- Avatar and Author Name -->\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/cropped-Jeff-V-Garcia-Photography-71788-scaled-1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"w-8 h-8 object-cover my-0 inline-block rounded-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><span class='leading-snug text-slate-500 flex items-center'><span class='hidden whitespace-nowrap sm:inline-block md:hidden lg:inline-block pr-1'><span class='posted-on'><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-09-17T13:01:25-06:00\">Sep 17, 2025<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2025-09-17T13:01:29-06:00\">Sep 17, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/contributors\/jeffvasishta\" class=\"no-underline line-clamp-1\" target=\"_blank\">Jeff Vasishta<\/a><\/span>            <\/div>\n\n            <!-- Post title -->\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"entry-title js-toc-ignore mt-4 mb-0 text-xl leading-snug text-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/fed-cuts-rates-as-employment-softens-but-real-estate-recovery-remains-uncertain\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"whitespace-normal no-underline font-bold  text-slate visited:text-slate hover:text-themeBlue\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\tFed Cuts Rates as Employment Softens, But Real Estate Recovery Remains Uncertain\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n                        <p class=\"text-lg font-normal mt-3 text-slate-500 mb-1 line-clamp-3\">Following a weakening labor market, the Federal Reserve&#8217;s announcement that it will cut interest rates by 0.25% on Sept. 17 comes as welcome relief to the real estate industry, as&hellip;<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n     <footer class=\"flex justify-between mt-auto\">\n        <!-- Comment Count -->\n        \t\t<span class='flex items-center space-x-2 text-sm' x-cloak x-data='commentCount()' :class=\"parseFloat(commentCount) < 1 || commentCount == '' ? 'hidden' : 'flex'\">\n\t\t\n            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"h-5 w-5 text-slate text-opacity-50\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\">\n                <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M17 8h2a2 2 0 012 2v6a2 2 0 01-2 2h-2v4l-4-4H9a1.994 1.994 0 01-1.414-.586m0 0L11 14h4a2 2 0 002-2V6a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v6a2 2 0 002 2h2v4l.586-.586z\" \/>\n            <\/svg>\n\n            <span x-ref=\"comment_count\" class=\"disqus-comment-count text-slate text-opacity-80\" data-disqus-identifier=\"184780\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n        <\/span>\n\t    <\/footer>\n<\/article><!-- #post-184780 -->\n<article \n\tid=\"post-146041\" \n\tclass=\"content-card mb-0 flex flex-col  post-146041 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-real-estate-news category-biggerpockets-daily\">\n\n\t<header class=\"entry-header\">\t\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Image -->\n        \t\t\t<a class=\"post-thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/when-will-the-fed-lower-rates-again\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"340\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/federal-reserve-1-768x388-1-340x225.webp\" class=\"size-card w-full  m-0 aspect-[68\/45] object-scale-down wp-post-image\" alt=\"When Will The Fed Lower Rates Again? Sooner Than You Think\" title=\"\">\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t        \n\n\t\t<!-- Content Wrapper -->\n\t\t<div class=\"py-4 \">\t\n                            <div class=\"flex gap-4 justify-between items-center\">\n                    <!-- Category  -->\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/category\/real-estate-news\" class=\"transition-colors bg-themeBlue\/20 text-themeBlue-medium hover:bg-themeBlue hover:text-white px-2 py-1 mb-2 inline-block rounded-sm no-underline text-sm\" target=\"_blank\">News &amp; Trends<\/a>\n                    \n                                            <span class=\"text-sm text-gray-500 hidden lg:inline-block\">2 min read<\/span>\n                                    <\/div>\n            \n           <div class=\"flex gap-3 items-center my-2 flex-nowrap text-base\">\n                <!-- Avatar and Author Name -->\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e8ccac5c5e56c35ffe5ca19e1c938129c6a3c884b861fc443e53c35f5ca54328?s=150&#038;d=mp&#038;r=g\" class=\"w-8 h-8 object-cover my-0 inline-block rounded-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><span class='leading-snug text-slate-500 flex items-center'><span class='hidden whitespace-nowrap sm:inline-block md:hidden lg:inline-block pr-1'><span class='posted-on'><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2022-12-19T08:59:28-07:00\">Dec 19, 2022<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2023-08-09T10:43:28-06:00\">Aug 09, 2023<\/time><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/contributors\/lindsayfrankel\" class=\"no-underline line-clamp-1\" target=\"_blank\">Lindsay Frankel<svg class=\"h-5 inline ml-2\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><g clip-path=\"url(#a)\"><path d=\"M19.253 5.25a1.75 1.75 0 0 0-1.663 2.29l-1.42.902a2.188 2.188 0 0 1-2.868-.46L11.91 6.28a1.73 1.73 0 0 0 .342-1.03 1.75 1.75 0 1 0-3.5 0c0 .37.12.732.34 1.03L7.701 7.982a2.188 2.188 0 0 1-2.868.46l-1.42-.903a1.75 1.75 0 1 0-1.816 1.203l1.035 6.205a.438.438 0 0 0 .43.366H17.94a.437.437 0 0 0 .431-.366l1.035-6.204a1.75 1.75 0 0 0-.153-3.494Z\" fill=\"#FFC107\"\/><path d=\"M10.502 17.064c4.108 0 7.438-.98 7.438-2.188 0-1.208-3.33-2.188-7.438-2.188-4.109 0-7.439.98-7.439 2.188 0 1.208 3.33 2.188 7.439 2.188Z\" fill=\"#FFA000\"\/><path d=\"M10.502 17.501c-3.915 0-7.877-.901-7.877-2.625s3.962-2.625 7.877-2.625c3.914 0 7.876.9 7.876 2.625 0 1.724-3.962 2.625-7.876 2.625Zm0-4.375c-4.597 0-7.001 1.137-7.001 1.75s2.404 1.75 7 1.75c4.597 0 7.002-1.138 7.002-1.75 0-.613-2.405-1.75-7.001-1.75Z\" fill=\"#FFD54F\"\/><\/g><defs><clipPath id=\"a\"><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M0 0h21v21H0z\"\/><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg><\/a><\/span>            <\/div>\n\n            <!-- Post title -->\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"entry-title js-toc-ignore mt-4 mb-0 text-xl leading-snug text-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/when-will-the-fed-lower-rates-again\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"whitespace-normal no-underline font-bold  text-slate visited:text-slate hover:text-themeBlue\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\tWhen Will The Fed Lower Rates Again? Sooner Than You Think\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n                        <p class=\"text-lg font-normal mt-3 text-slate-500 mb-1 line-clamp-3\">Last week, the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate by&nbsp;half a percentage point, a slowdown from previous sprints. Still, the federal funds rate is at its highest since 2007. While&hellip;<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n     <footer class=\"flex justify-between mt-auto\">\n        <!-- Comment Count -->\n        \t\t<span class='flex items-center space-x-2 text-sm' x-cloak x-data='commentCount()' :class=\"parseFloat(commentCount) < 1 || commentCount == '' ? 'hidden' : 'flex'\">\n\t\t\n            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"h-5 w-5 text-slate text-opacity-50\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\">\n                <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M17 8h2a2 2 0 012 2v6a2 2 0 01-2 2h-2v4l-4-4H9a1.994 1.994 0 01-1.414-.586m0 0L11 14h4a2 2 0 002-2V6a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v6a2 2 0 002 2h2v4l.586-.586z\" \/>\n            <\/svg>\n\n            <span x-ref=\"comment_count\" class=\"disqus-comment-count text-slate text-opacity-80\" data-disqus-identifier=\"146041\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n        <\/span>\n\t    <\/footer>\n<\/article><!-- #post-146041 -->\n<article \n\tid=\"post-145886\" \n\tclass=\"content-card mb-0 flex flex-col  post-145886 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-real-estate-news category-biggerpockets-daily\">\n\n\t<header class=\"entry-header\">\t\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Image -->\n        \t\t\t<a class=\"post-thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-long-it-takes-to-afford-rent-report\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"340\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/for-rent--340x225.jpg\" class=\"size-card w-full  m-0 aspect-[68\/45] object-scale-down wp-post-image\" alt=\"New Zillow Report Suggests Renters Must Work 63 Hours To Afford Rent In The U.S.\" title=\"\">\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t        \n\n\t\t<!-- Content Wrapper -->\n\t\t<div class=\"py-4 \">\t\n                            <div class=\"flex gap-4 justify-between items-center\">\n                    <!-- Category  -->\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/category\/real-estate-news\" class=\"transition-colors bg-themeBlue\/20 text-themeBlue-medium hover:bg-themeBlue hover:text-white px-2 py-1 mb-2 inline-block rounded-sm no-underline text-sm\" target=\"_blank\">News &amp; Trends<\/a>\n                    \n                                            <span class=\"text-sm text-gray-500 hidden lg:inline-block\">3 min read<\/span>\n                                    <\/div>\n            \n           <div class=\"flex gap-3 items-center my-2 flex-nowrap text-base\">\n                <!-- Avatar and Author Name -->\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/cropped-profile_small-150x150.jpg\" class=\"w-8 h-8 object-cover my-0 inline-block rounded-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><span class='leading-snug text-slate-500 flex items-center'><span class='hidden whitespace-nowrap sm:inline-block md:hidden lg:inline-block pr-1'><span class='posted-on'><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2022-12-07T14:02:45-07:00\">Dec 07, 2022<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2023-08-09T10:31:18-06:00\">Aug 09, 2023<\/time><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/contributors\/annacottrell\" class=\"no-underline line-clamp-1\" target=\"_blank\">Anna K. Cottrell<\/a><\/span>            <\/div>\n\n            <!-- Post title -->\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"entry-title js-toc-ignore mt-4 mb-0 text-xl leading-snug text-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-long-it-takes-to-afford-rent-report\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"whitespace-normal no-underline font-bold  text-slate visited:text-slate hover:text-themeBlue\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\tNew Zillow Report Suggests Renters Must Work 63 Hours To Afford Rent In The U.S.\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n                        <p class=\"text-lg font-normal mt-3 text-slate-500 mb-1 line-clamp-3\">A recent report from&nbsp;Zillow&nbsp;highlights the U.S. affordability crisis creatively. Rather than just focusing on the rapid price growth in rents across the country over the past couple of years, the&hellip;<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n     <footer class=\"flex justify-between mt-auto\">\n        <!-- Comment Count -->\n        \t\t<span class='flex items-center space-x-2 text-sm' x-cloak x-data='commentCount()' :class=\"parseFloat(commentCount) < 1 || commentCount == '' ? 'hidden' : 'flex'\">\n\t\t\n            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"h-5 w-5 text-slate text-opacity-50\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\">\n                <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M17 8h2a2 2 0 012 2v6a2 2 0 01-2 2h-2v4l-4-4H9a1.994 1.994 0 01-1.414-.586m0 0L11 14h4a2 2 0 002-2V6a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v6a2 2 0 002 2h2v4l.586-.586z\" \/>\n            <\/svg>\n\n            <span x-ref=\"comment_count\" class=\"disqus-comment-count text-slate text-opacity-80\" data-disqus-identifier=\"145886\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n        <\/span>\n\t    <\/footer>\n<\/article><!-- #post-145886 -->        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Almost 45% of the US population has been vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, giving way to an improving job market and greater mobility. With the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":612375,"featured_media":137821,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7119,5528],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-137818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biggerpockets-daily","category-real-estate-news"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/612375"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137818"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137818\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=137818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}