The State of Housing in America

When February’s Existing Home Sales were reported last month, I proposed that the very disappointing result was likely anomalous. Given various bits of evidence and my experience and familiarity with the phenomenon, I thought the significant stock market turbulence and decline to start the year caused a negative feedback loop that stalled consumer spending in February, especially for major purchases like homes. Well, March’s Existing Home Sales data was reported last week, and it produced a much improved result. Given the level of fear that pervaded through financial markets this past winter, I believe it is probable that the stock market’s strong recovery this spring is serving to reinvigorate consumer spending now. Most importantly, for the whole of 2016, we expect housing to continue to expand and sales to continue to increase for a multitude of reasons. See the whole story at The True State of Housing in America.

Sample of Housing Relative Shares

SPDR S&P Homebuilders (NYSE: XHB)

iShares US Real Estate (NYSE: IYR)

D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI)

K.B. Home (NYSE: KBH)

J.P. Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM)

Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC)

MGIC Investment (NYSE: MTG)

Radian Group (NYSE: RDN)

Investors Title (Nasdaq: ITIC)

Home Depot (NYSE: HD)

iShares Mortgage Real Estate (NYSE: REM)

Invesco Mortgage Capital (NYSE: IVR)

New Residential Investment (NYSE: NRZ)

Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only. This article should interest investors in residential REITs like American Campus Communities (NYSE: ACC), American Capital Agency (Nasdaq: AGNC), Annaly Capital (NYSE: NLY), Apartment Investment and Management (NYSE: AIV), Apollo Residential Mortgage (Nasdaq: AMTG), ARMOUR Residential REIT (NYSE: ARR), Associated Estates Realty (NYSE: AEC), AvalonBay Communities (NYSE: AVB), BRE Properties (NYSE: BRE), Camden Property Trust (NYSE: CPT), Campus Crest Communities (NYSE: CCG), Colonial Properties Trust (NYSE: CLP), CYS Investments (NYSE: CYS), Education Realty Trust (NYSE: EDR), Equity LifeStyle Properties (NYSE: ELS), Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR), Essex Property Trust (NYSE: ESS), Hatteras Financial (NYSE: HTS), Home Properties (NYSE: HME), Maxus Realty Trust (OTC: MRTI.PK), Mid-America Apartment Communities (NYSE: MAA), New York Mortgage Trust (Nasdaq: NYMT), PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (NYSE: PMT), Post Properties (NYSE: PPS), Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH), Sun Communities (NYSE: SUI), Two Harbors Investment (NYSE: TWO) and UDR (NYSE: UDR).