On The Highway

Listen as Brandon Brotsky shares how he built an audience of more than 600,000 followers and turned social media into a consistent source of business. You’ll learn how to create engaging content, grow your audience, repurpose posts across platforms, and turn followers into conversations and leads.

The latest inflation data keeps the possibility of a Fed rate hike on the table as policymakers weigh persistent price pressures and labor market conditions. Meanwhile, existing home sales declined for the third consecutive month, signaling continued challenges in the housing market, while the latest unemployment claims offer another look at the strength of the labor market.

The MBS Highway National Housing Index continued its downward trend in September, falling from 27 in August to 22. The index has now declined for four consecutive months after reaching a seasonal high of 47 in May. Both buyer activity and home price direction weakened from the previous month.

On this episode of On the Highway, host Shelly Williams breaks down the latest economic and housing news, starting with August’s stronger-than-expected jobs report. While the headline number surprised to the upside, other labor data painted a different picture, with private-sector hiring slowing to a seven-month low and additional reports pointing to a gradually cooling job market. Shelly explains what these mixed signals could mean for the Federal Reserve and the direction of interest rates. Plus, she looks at the latest home price appreciation forecasts and what they reveal about the long-term wealth-building benefits of homeownership.

Home prices are moving higher again nationally, but the headline doesn’t tell the whole story.

Some markets are setting new highs, while others still haven’t recovered from their 2022 peaks. The latest Case-Shiller data reveals just how divided the housing market has become.

Scott Brixson breaks down what the numbers are really telling us in the latest On the Highway.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh emphasized the need for continued progress on inflation but stopped short of committing to a September rate hike. Meanwhile, new home sales slowed in July, home prices continued to build on recent gains, and the latest GDP and unemployment data provided a fresh snapshot of the broader economy.

The latest home price appreciation data highlighted the long-term wealth-building opportunity of homeownership. Also of note, home sales and construction cooled in July, while the Fed’s meeting minutes pointed to the importance of upcoming inflation and jobs data. Here’s what you need to know about how homeownership can build wealth over time, the slowdown in new home construction, another decline in pending home sales, key takeaways from the Fed’s meeting minutes, and the latest pulse check on jobless claims.

Learn how to use MBS Highway’s Debt Consolidation tool to help clients unlock their home equity, lower monthly payments, and potentially shave years off their mortgage, while creating more opportunities in any rate environment.

Inflation delivered some encouraging news, while the housing market continues to send mixed signals. We’ll break down the latest on inflation, existing home sales and home values, plus take a closer look at what consumer spending and unemployment claims are telling us about the economy.

The MBS Highway National Housing Index fell 5 points in August 2026 to 27, with the normal seasonal downturn exacerbated by the highest mortgage rates we’ve seen in more than a year.