The real estate landscape is undergoing significant shifts, with housing affordability and inventory shortages emerging as the most pressing issues dominating today’s headlines. As discussed in NAR Highlights Dire Lack of Housing Affordability and Inventory in Congressional Testimony, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) recently testified before Congress, highlighting the dire lack of housing affordability and inventory plaguing the nation.

Key Takeaways:

• Existing home sales descended 4.3% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.19 million, as reported by NAR and discussed in Existing-Home Sales Descended 4.3% in March. This reverses roughly half of the surprise jump in February.
• The number of homes available on the market rose 4.7% to 1.11 million, pushing the months’ supply up to 3.2, as noted in Home Sales and Starts Pull Back in March, While Economic Data Continue to Support Near-Term Growth by Fannie Mae.
• First-time buyers accounted for 32% of sales in March, up from 26% in February and matching the annual share reported in NAR’s 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
• All-cash sales made up 28% of transactions in March, down from 33% in February but up from 27% a year ago, as individual investors or second-home buyers comprised many of these cash sales.

The White House has also announced measures to address land use barriers and boost housing production, a move applauded by NAR as discussed in NAR Applauds White House Announcement Addressing Land Use Barriers and Housing Production. However, industry experts warn that interest rate risk and economic uncertainties continue to loom over the real estate market.

Expert Insights:

Fred Hubler, a Forbes contributor, notes in Is Real Estate Still A Safe Investment? Tips For Today’s Market that due to the quick jump in interest rates, many commercial real estate properties face significant and unexpected headwinds. He highlights:

• Some of the best multi-family programs had to be written down by 20-30%, with riskier programs faring even worse.
• The global office vacancy rate stood at 12.9% at the end of March, nearly matching the highs of 2009-2010 after the global financial crisis.

Hubler suggests that long-term net lease investments in essential retail companies with top-quality tenants and only their top-performing stores may be a safer option in the current market environment.

As the real estate industry grapples with these challenges, it’s clear that addressing housing affordability, inventory shortages, and navigating economic uncertainties will be paramount in the coming months. Stay tuned for further developments and expert analysis on this rapidly evolving situation.