Is a massive real estate crash on the horizon? Experts are divided, but what do you think—are there warning signs suggesting caution for potential buyers and investors?
@Nate Armstrong yes, huge crash coming. So, stopping competing against me on all these houses. Come back in 10 years. Should be ok then ;)
Is a massive real estate crash on the horizon? Experts are divided, but what do you think—are there warning signs suggesting caution for potential buyers and investors?
I remember going to conferences in 2016-2018 and everyone was saying hold your cash there is going to be this huge dip and you can clean up.. Well, I held off from buying those years.... and wish I kept buying :-(.. You need to buy deals that are good in down markets and up markets.. The deals need to make sense, if not walk from those deals.
FACTS
So since markets are hyperlocal, it would be helpful to separate the "crash" from local market corrections.
As for the macroeconomic "crash", as long as institutional investor ownership is involved, the market will be mostly stable. They are conservative in their acquisitions and carry little to no risk, and are well-funded to protect their downsides. For more info here, look into market stabilization after '09 with the advent of institutional investors. While banks and lenders caused the widespread crash, these real estate institutions also stabilized prices. I'm not advocating anything here, I'm just stating as they are.
As to the hyperlocal market correction, this will have to happen. High inflation, wages not keeping up, supply slowly rising, demand slowly falling, rates pending for a controlled easing... these factors point to a correction but nowhere near the depth / breadth of '08.
NAR ruling is also another factor (though many agents will disagree) that will take much longer to see its effects but is pending for some housing adjustments. I wouldn't count on this in the near-term, however, to force a housing correction.
Not sure what you do with this information - if you're looking to buy or just curious - but hope this helps!
In South Florida, I see a few things happening:
AIRBNB - Most people I personally know who went into Airbnb jumped in after getting swept up in the Big returns + the 2.5% Interest rates. In my eyes this created a bloat.
The other issue that most didn't see is that now the STR market is 10X more competitive - if you can't market a property to its fullest : Themed/ Clean/ Location/ Instagramable.. then most will get buried in the rise in taxes and insurance. This is the off loading most are seeing now. People are still traveling but being more selective where they make the memories
I wouldn't say a crash per say is coming with these properties. What I do see though is, many will off-load these properties within the next 12-36 months. However long they can hang on for or until it isn't economically feasible - whichever comes first.
Residential Property:
As far as a correction, that's happening now - unfortunately most of current price reductions are because agents either don't know the real starting price point, or what's more likely... the real estate agent is in a personal cash crunch and will just list at whatever the seller wants to list at.
There is still demand as many people who have the means are paying in cash 1MM-10MM all cash. They are all coming from New England, specifically NY and Connecticut. When you have great policies combined with zero state income tax you will more than likely always be on the high side of demand.
I've been hearing an RE crash is coming for the last 5 years.... still waiting
Hope that helps
Thanks for the SF insights! Dropping some data I have been looking at as well which I'm sure everyone is aware of.
What do you think this will do to BRRRR or turn key long term renting for cashflow? Are rentals also suffering and having to lower rents?


I forgot to include that government spending is propping up the economy. Like when they were dumping money in the market to prop it up, they are spending money on infrastructure and climate change projects, adding government jobs and other spending. This is to inflate GDP, which is promoted as the economy growing, even though inflation is causing more money to be spent. They are only getting an estimated 40-60 cents for every dollar they spend. This is unsustainable, as the debt is past any reasonable limit.
With GDP, inflation, and unemployment all being heavily manipulated, they can't be used to justify a healthy economy. 2008 showed the problem with pushing mortgages onto people who couldn't afford them and weren't financially literate, but it was the inflation that caused many to choose food and other expenses over home payment. Not all the foreclosures and bankruptcies were sub-prime mortgages.
And the inflation started in 2006 with gas prices rising, just like in 2021, with gas prices rising, and driving up inflation on everything with increased transportation costs.
The price of cars and trucks is skyrocketing, because car manufacturers are losing money on EVs and raising prices on gas and diesel powered vehicles to make up the difference. They are intentionally raising gas prices and forcing higher CAFE efficiency ratings to force everyone into EVs. And the electrical infrastructure can't handle it. They just doubled the MPG rating for pickup trucks.
And if the dollar isn't the reserve currency, look out.
I don't know what the future will bring. These are just some of the points that cause many to question the future. I understand real estate investors discussing supply and demand, interest rates, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and regulations, but there are so many other things that can affect the future, and I've only tried to touch on what many other investors have been discussing.
Don’t time the market! Buy it when you are ready. Who cares if it’s going to crash or not if you are going to rent it out&or live in it?
Who cares? many Americans who bought in 2006 were negative equity until 2022, and that was from a moderate 34% pullback in U.S. residential from GFC, the Price you pay affects the Value you get.
The price of cars and trucks is skyrocketing, because car manufacturers are losing money on EVs and raising prices on gas and diesel powered vehicles to make up the difference. They are intentionally raising gas prices and forcing higher CAFE efficiency ratings to force everyone into EVs. And the electrical infrastructure can't handle it. They just doubled the MPG rating for pickup trucks.
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I deleted a bunch of text to mention I agree with most of your points. I agree with AI especially as people seem to take everything they read as fact even when it is clearly wrong.
With vehicles-I'm in Canada-I think part of the increased cost is associated with more bells and whistles and people buying larger vehicles. I just bought a new car (my first ever and only my second car). The car it replaced was the same car and the cost was about $2K more than what the first one cost 19 years ago (and it was 2 years old when I bought it).
Demand for housing in Canada is up due to several reasons-lots of single people living on their own, more recently (last 5ish years) massive immigration (at an unsustainable level) and the low interest rates we had for about a decade that basically made borrowing free and then drove up house prices.
Canada is different than the US in some ways, but similar and I have no idea what the market will do. I do know there is no point worrying about something that is out of our control other than making sure you aren't over extended and if you have places you are thinking if selling in the next year or two-try to keep an eye out.
Sometimes spending can help. But when debt is already unsustainable, it doesn't help that we aren't even getting great results. The GDP increase is largely from inflation. And people are changing their buying habits, buying generic brands instead of name brand food, stopping subscriptions to streaming services, and other cut backs not indicated by a growing GDP. Covering up a bad economy might help politically, but is just putting off the coming reset. The only thing that can offset that is to have an economy taking off. Raising interest rates causes an economy to pull back. Raising taxes results in less money for people to spend. If they were doing things to grow the economy, that would be great, but all they seem to be doing is trying to manipulate numbers to pretend the economy is great. And good luck with the debt. We long ago passed the point where we can even just pay interest on the debt if it ever got to 80s interest levels of 15% on government debt and 20% on mortgages.
The price of cars and trucks is skyrocketing, because car manufacturers are losing money on EVs and raising prices on gas and diesel powered vehicles to make up the difference. They are intentionally raising gas prices and forcing higher CAFE efficiency ratings to force everyone into EVs. And the electrical infrastructure can't handle it. They just doubled the MPG rating for pickup trucks.
...
I deleted a bunch of text to mention I agree with most of your points. I agree with AI especially as people seem to take everything they read as fact even when it is clearly wrong.
With vehicles-I'm in Canada-I think part of the increased cost is associated with more bells and whistles and people buying larger vehicles. I just bought a new car (my first ever and only my second car). The car it replaced was the same car and the cost was about $2K more than what the first one cost 19 years ago (and it was 2 years old when I bought it).
Demand for housing in Canada is up due to several reasons-lots of single people living on their own, more recently (last 5ish years) massive immigration (at an unsustainable level) and the low interest rates we had for about a decade that basically made borrowing free and then drove up house prices.
Canada is different than the US in some ways, but similar and I have no idea what the market will do. I do know there is no point worrying about something that is out of our control other than making sure you aren't over extended and if you have places you are thinking if selling in the next year or two-try to keep an eye out.
There's been a crash coming since 2012.
Pretty sure people thought the world was going to end then too.
Buy long term. Buy smart. You should be happy
The price of cars and trucks is skyrocketing, because car manufacturers are losing money on EVs and raising prices on gas and diesel powered vehicles to make up the difference. They are intentionally raising gas prices and forcing higher CAFE efficiency ratings to force everyone into EVs. And the electrical infrastructure can't handle it. They just doubled the MPG rating for pickup trucks.
...
I deleted a bunch of text to mention I agree with most of your points. I agree with AI especially as people seem to take everything they read as fact even when it is clearly wrong.
With vehicles-I'm in Canada-I think part of the increased cost is associated with more bells and whistles and people buying larger vehicles. I just bought a new car (my first ever and only my second car). The car it replaced was the same car and the cost was about $2K more than what the first one cost 19 years ago (and it was 2 years old when I bought it).
Demand for housing in Canada is up due to several reasons-lots of single people living on their own, more recently (last 5ish years) massive immigration (at an unsustainable level) and the low interest rates we had for about a decade that basically made borrowing free and then drove up house prices.
Canada is different than the US in some ways, but similar and I have no idea what the market will do. I do know there is no point worrying about something that is out of our control other than making sure you aren't over extended and if you have places you are thinking if selling in the next year or two-try to keep an eye out.
Both cars are Toyotas, so they retain their values. Yes our prime minister is trying to push EV, but they aren't realistic at that scale in Canada due to the weather, lack of infrastructure and distances between cities. Fine if people (not me) want to drive them in town, but we have issues from time to time with the electric grid keeping up in extreme temps, I can't imagine if we had a bunch of people also trying to charge their EVs.
We've had a shortage of cars (I use that term to refer to any vehicle) and only now are some dealerships getting inventory of new cars. The price of used vehicles is still nuts-What I paid for a new one was a little bit less (~$100-500) LESS than a 1-2 year old one-same make, model, level of trim. So I waited a few months for a new one to arrive (because they have none on the lots).
This is just the type of question being answered that brings BiggerPockets I to a gossip column instead of a truly valuable medium.
Does anyone want to make a specific prediction, and we'll all agree to meet back here and see what happened?
Ok, ready to strap on your thinking cap's as I'm gonna get all kinds of technical, putting my neck out there.
First is to understand where we are at.
Picture the economy as a 777 happily flying around. The thrust from the jet's is the movement of $currency$ in the economic system.
Now in covid, where effectively they all but completely turned off the fuel to the engines, well not hard math to figure it wouldn't be long before that 777 became worlds biggest lawn dart. So, out came Uncle Sam who started shooting N02 straight into those turbines to keep going.
Problem is, that made a hell of a lot of "thrust".
What happens with more thrust? yeah, "lift" aka inflation.
So now coming out of things the Fed is saying wow we need to come back down to a more gentle altitude, and to keep from turning this into a vomit-comet let's do this "easily", slowly, gently.....
So here is the thing, to come down means less thrust.
But politicians dont want that, they keep pressing that peddle down, more and more and more thrust.
AND, to boot, as we go higher, the air is thinner, there is less there (affordability). So it takes even more thrust to keep up, and the "down" is even sharper when let off.
So yeah, to come down means actions most don't want. But keep feeding the engines means more lift that others don't want. Ya can't do the things that increase lift and expect to go down.
I see politics going into 5-alarm freak-out by Novemeber. And really good chance Uncle Sammy brings out that N02 again so all can feel like were getting somewhere, ignoring fact were about to to leave atmosphere. And WHEN all are forced off that throttle, and they WILL be because at a certain point, there is no more air, none, and those engines go out, completely.
And then.... Then people will be wishing we were just a yard-dart again because were gonna be a freakin comet hurdling back to level but things is now it takes that much more force to pull out of the dive.
Inflationary feedback into stagflation (where we are entering now) into run away inflation making for deflationary death spiral.......
Some may think story stops there, oh contraire monfrair.
Don't forget USA is lead by the all time gold-medalist super champions of the can-kicking Olympics.
See I foresee as the vomit-comet comes a hurdling down, they'll just pull along side a nice new shinny UPDATED 777-AMERO or other and just, change rides. yes, a currency default swap.
And yes, there is ways to still have the USD while moving economy to a multi-national indexed currency such as the Amero.
World chaos, oh heck yeah but look around, what would be new in that category? And who holds the majority of USD debt? yeah, exactly.
What's the alternative?
Tell all US citizens they gotta suck things up, austerity measures, slash social programs 50%..... Not a chance any politcian will go that road, no way.
It's math, USA went off the debt cliff a LOOOooong time ago, debt service is nearing unserviceable. What would you do? If end is inevitable, yeah, you'd get the maximum pump before it comes apart too wouldn't ya. I would.
I think they can keep this plane going a lot longer than expected. They just need real inflation to be slightly larger than income, and gdp growth (including inflation) to be larger than treasury yields. We've been quite successful at exporting our inflation for years. And we've been successful at importing people to increase gdp growth.
I guess this isn't a real prediction though. I'll quantify, suburbs of Rochester, NY in Monroe county east of the Genessee river, see 5-10+% appreciation for the next 4 years as measured Zillow home price index.
don't even get me started on average age of building, net migrations, diversity of industries, to compare Detroit to Miami is insane Detroit is about as bad as it gets. I met a guy at BP con last year who is a doctor in Detroit who doesn't invest there lol. good that someone local cares about Detroit for once
10 year treasury has moved up about 10% since the fed cut rates. Employment number was huge, and inflation rose. Looks like the September did exactly the opposite from what the Fed was thinking.
Nov rate cuts stand as 87% .25bp, 13% unch. Curious how this develops until election time.

I think the Fed needs to let some bleeding happen, it's the only true way to tame the inflation:unemployment gap. The fed needs to learn you can have it all, just not all at once. The reality is unemployment will be easier to manage than inflation, so unless they shift their focus this may get rippy. I think the focus will change a bit, and we'll see higher for longer than expected as of today(10/10/2024). I think still am awaiting on this election but I think net assets dip, even after this little hurrah since the election.
The upwards projection of major indices is sub 10% on a technical basis, that's more bearish than most expected with a .5bps cut.
I was thinking the same, but I was wondering if this is already the effect of the rate cut, but probably that's too short and it is just the expectation of a rate cut that has been out there all summer, that has caused the effect.
I don't think we will see any more cuts before spring. and I can see the 10yT going to 4.50% again before turning, which means mortgage rates in the upper 6s
Anyone who's predicting a crash, i say prove to me that's your REAL thought's, show me what your selling.
Or, better yet, sell me everything. I will take an option on your entire portfolio.
If you really think a "crash" is imminent, you'd view me as free-$.
I will give a fair-$ Purchase Option on anything/everything housing. SFR, MFH, you name it.
Anyone who's predicting a crash, i say prove to me that's your REAL thought's, show me what your selling.
Or, better yet, sell me everything. I will take an option on your entire portfolio.
If you really think a "crash" is imminent, you'd view me as free-$.
I will give a fair-$ Purchase Option on anything/everything housing. SFR, MFH, you name it.
You are right of course, I think we have moved on from predicting a crash here..
From what it looks like, spring market will be nuts again, at least in Milwaukee. Even more so if rates drop just below 6%, which is currently industry consensus.
But that may not be true for all markets. If I were a betting man, I'd say there is a good change that the Midwest will outperform FL next year. Inventory is already sky high there, insurance hard to get /afford and now there is a recent disaster concern on top of all that.. But on the other hand real estate trends change so slowly, especially migration trends.
Anyone who's predicting a crash, i say prove to me that's your REAL thought's, show me what your selling.
Or, better yet, sell me everything. I will take an option on your entire portfolio.
If you really think a "crash" is imminent, you'd view me as free-$.
I will give a fair-$ Purchase Option on anything/everything housing. SFR, MFH, you name it.
You are right of course, I think we have moved on from predicting a crash here..
From what it looks like, spring market will be nuts again, at least in Milwaukee. Even more so if rates drop just below 6%, which is currently industry consensus.
But that may not be true for all markets. If I were a betting man, I'd say there is a good change that the Midwest will outperform FL next year. Inventory is already sky high there, insurance hard to get /afford and now there is a recent disaster concern on top of all that.. But on the other hand real estate trends change so slowly, especially migration trends.
I agree in large part.
I think the "race too TX / FL / Etc." has lost a lot of it's steam. Not saying stopped, just stepped down from the all but panicked fevered race it once was.
And with that, those market prices will be stepping back to basis more-so held by local market fundamentals than OOS $ flocking in using other-market perceptual value and in-market ignorance of value basis for pricing.
In market persons are far less apt to "over pay' than out state relocating persons who have to rely on trust that a purchase price is "fair".
Although I think if mortgage rates just hold in 6% area, and volatility subsides that alone is enough for a rally. Volatility, election chaos, that is #1 factor I see holding things back, not interest rates anymore.
100%. I just read a WSJ article about Tampa, and homeowners there are frustrated because they can't sell their houses... for 5-10% more than they paid for them 1-3 years ago.
Anyone who's predicting a crash, i say prove to me that's your REAL thought's, show me what your selling.
Or, better yet, sell me everything. I will take an option on your entire portfolio.
If you really think a "crash" is imminent, you'd view me as free-$.
I will give a fair-$ Purchase Option on anything/everything housing. SFR, MFH, you name it.
You are right of course, I think we have moved on from predicting a crash here..
From what it looks like, spring market will be nuts again, at least in Milwaukee. Even more so if rates drop just below 6%, which is currently industry consensus.
But that may not be true for all markets. If I were a betting man, I'd say there is a good change that the Midwest will outperform FL next year. Inventory is already sky high there, insurance hard to get /afford and now there is a recent disaster concern on top of all that.. But on the other hand real estate trends change so slowly, especially migration trends.
I agree in large part.
I think the "race too TX / FL / Etc." has lost a lot of it's steam. Not saying stopped, just stepped down from the all but panicked fevered race it once was.
And with that, those market prices will be stepping back to basis more-so held by local market fundamentals than OOS $ flocking in using other-market perceptual value and in-market ignorance of value basis for pricing.
In market persons are far less apt to "over pay' than out state relocating persons who have to rely on trust that a purchase price is "fair".
Although I think if mortgage rates just hold in 6% area, and volatility subsides that alone is enough for a rally. Volatility, election chaos, that is #1 factor I see holding things back, not interest rates anymore.
100%. I just read a WSJ article about Tampa, and homeowners there are frustrated because they can't sell their houses... for 5-10% more than they paid for them 1-3 years ago.
This could create a self-increasing dynamic. When buyers see a lot of inventory and many months on market, it empowers them to negotiate more, this lowers prices, which in turn lowers comps, which prompts more sellers to sell out of concern, discourages buyer to make that "investment", causing more inventory and encourages the remaining buyers to offer "ahead of" where the market is going, which is anticipated even lower...
I have always said, once the first row of houses is washed into the ocean, watch how quickly the for sale signs pop up in the second row. And who wants to buy there now - which is now first row?
Hey Nate, as a broker who's completed over 3,500 transactions and managed 30 of my own properties alongside 300 rentals, I can tell you a crash in 2025 isn’t likely. The fundamentals are strong—stricter lending, low housing inventory, and upcoming rate cuts. Inflation is being tamed, and the Feds will likely lower rates further to manage the debt ceiling and keep long-term payments sustainable. Add to that, it’s an election year, and federal and private funding are pouring billions into new infrastructure, keeping every general contractor and builder busy with jobs. This combination points to stability, not a crash.
Florida's population growth and strong job market keep demand high, especially in places like South Florida. Even if prices cool a bit, that’s normal. The luxury market in Miami and Palm Beach adds extra stability. My only concern is the short-term rental market, where there’s a slight oversupply, but aside from that, everything else is on solid footing. With insurance rates stabilizing due to legal reforms, I just don’t see a crash happening anytime soon.