The Canadian Dollar Hangs in the Balance Between Weak Jobs Growth and Strong High-End Housing Demand

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on July 14, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) Employment picture remains lackluster On Friday, Statistics Canada painted another disappointing jobs picture for the country. Instead of the 20,000 additional jobs expected by the “consensus” for June, the Canadian economy … Read more

Australia’s Central Bank Is Not Overly Concerned With Having One of the Most Expensive Housing Markets In the World

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on July 6, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) The IMF recently established an informative web site called “Global Housing Watch” that promises to provide quarterly updates on housing conditions around the world. The update for Q4 of 2013 shows … Read more

Baby Boomers Seem Unlikely to Mass Exit from Single-Family Detached Homes Anytime Soon

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on June 14, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) Recent research provide additional color to the last entry in my on-going series on Baby Boomers and the housing market: “Cash Buyers And Optimism Counter The Notion Of An Imminent Housing … Read more

Cash Buyers and Optimism Counter the Notion of An Imminent Housing Crisis Triggered By Baby Boomers

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on June 3, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) Last year, I wrote a series of articles expressing my skepticism about the notion that an abandonment of homes by incapacitated Baby Boomers would cause America’s next housing crisis (for example, … Read more

Residential Employment Plows Ahead As Housing Indicators Stabilize

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on May 5, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) The latest U.S. non-farm employment report showed another strong print for employment in residential construction. For the 31st month in a row, seasonally adjusted employment in residential construction showed year-over-year growth. … Read more

An Unexpected Drop In Leasing Velocity Helps Reset RealPage

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 25, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) RealPage (RP) provides software for revenue management and other related services for managers of rental housing. After noticing that the stock had dropped over 20% in after hours trading following the … Read more

Do Not Get Distracted By Insider Stock Sales at Toll Brothers

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 19, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) Back in 2009, I was as bearish on housing as anyone. For example, I wrote two pieces pointing to massive insider stock sales at Toll Brothers (TOL) as evidence that company … Read more

Drop In the Housing Market Index Ends Upward Momentum of the Recovery, Delays Spring Sunshine

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 19, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) The latest Housing Market Index (HMI) from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo demonstrates a very large and sudden drop in the confidence of home builders in … Read more

Meritage Homes Takes The Edge Off Bullish Expectations With A “Wait And See” Attitude

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 10, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) After writing about the bullish earnings report from D.R. Horton (DHI), I have looked for further confirmation from other major public homebuilders. Meritage Homes (MTH) remains on my list of favorites … Read more