On The Market

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this episode and written below are solely opinions of the hosts, guests, and writers and do not reflect the views of BiggerPockets.

Is it about to get even worse for NAR (National Association of Realtors)? After a ground-breaking agent commission lawsuit settlement forced the organization to pay out hundreds of millions, NAR has been on thin ice. They had just come off of a massive change in leadership, with some executives facing sexual harassment accusations, only to have the spotlight put on them once again. But it’s not over.

A new investigative piece from The New York Times reporter Debra Kamin uncovers a web of hidden donations to political groups that many NAR members aren’t aware of. NAR, the largest lobbyist group in the country, is well-known for donating to political causes that benefit their industry. However, it seems those donations heavily lean to one side of the political spectrum.

So, is this a problem? Could it even be illegal? Debra reveals that many of these donations go to groups unrelated to real estate, leaving some members frustrated with how their dues are being spent. Could this be the final blow to NAR, paving the way for more competition among real estate agent organizations? Debra is on to break the story. 

In This Episode We Cover

The new investigation on where NAR “donations” and member dues are going 

NAR’s recent turmoil with massive lawsuits, sexual harassment accusations, and more

What do realtors think of their dues being spent on fringe political causes?

The future of NAR and whether they’ll recover from their recent internal challenges

A new DOJ (department of justice) investigation into NAR and whether members will leave

And So Much More!

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On the Market 197 - NAR Finally Faces Competition: Is the Agent “Monopoly” Over? w/Jason Haber and Mauricio Umansky

On the Market 201 - Breaking: NAR Settles for $418M, Buying and Selling Homes Could Change Forever w/The New York Times’ Debra Kamin

Grab the Book “SOLD: Every Real Estate Agent’s Guide”

Jump to topic:

00:00 Intro

01:30 NAR Turmoil

03:46 The Largest Lobbyist Group

08:53 Quietly Funding Political Causes

14:17 Is This Illegal?

17:29 What Realtors Think

20:40 The Future of NAR

26:58 Read the Full Story

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“Return to office” mandates from the tech and finance industries are coming rapidly. But they’re not just going back to the downtown areas. Return to office (RTO) calls could cause a surprisingly beneficial boost to suburban areas, even as employees are forced back into the office. This has enormous effects on landlords and real estate investors, as the hottest place to own a home might actually be somewhere outside of the city center.

Matt Reidy, Director of CRE Economics at Moody’s Analytics, joined us to give a full update. Matt talks about the potential office comeback that could be taking place and the one type of office investment that is outperforming the rest. However, office vacancies are still at an all-time high, and companies are starting to get creative. Could a move into the suburbs help entice employees by keeping commute times minimal?

This could be great news for residential investors outside the cities, as “live, work, play” environments could become a hot commodity. 

In This Episode We Cover

Why more companies are looking for suburban offices to win back employees

The revival of downtowns and why they’re growing, even with high office vacancy

One type of office investment that’s outperforming the competition significantly

Rent price growth predictions for 2025 and 2026

Whether office work is here to stay or the “hybrid” model will become the new norm

And So Much More!

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Read More from Matt

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Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(01:30) The Return to Office

(03:20) An Office Comeback?

(07:12) Offices Move to Suburbs

(11:02) Are Downtowns Declining?

(17:37) Suburban Demand Grows

(21:33) Good News for Investors

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Are we in store for another agent commission lawsuit battle? Why are home sales spiking right after the election? And guess what…it’s not investors buying up all the houses this time. We’re getting into the biggest housing market news in today’s headlines episode! Plus, we’re sharing exactly what you need to do TODAY to still get real estate deals done, even with high interest rates and higher home prices.

Home tours are surging after the election as potential homebuyers breathe a sigh of relief knowing that 24/7 election coverage has finally ceased. But it’s not the investors who are coming back to buy the houses. Investor purchase numbers are falling, so why are landlords sitting on the sidelines this time?

And say it ain’t so…another real estate agent commission lawsuit could be on the way as the Department of Justice finds faults in the NAR settlement. What does this mean for agents, brokers, and realtors? Will an easily browsable listing site like Zillow take over in place of real-life realtors? Some worry a Zillow “monopoly” could be forming. We’re sharing what we think in this episode.

In This Episode We Cover

Why home sales are starting to jump after the 2024 presidential election results

The future of agent commissions and whether they could be regulated even more

The Zillow “monopoly” that some worry will overtake the NAR (National Association of Realtors)

What’s causing investor purchases to shrink since the pandemic?

Where James and Kathy see investing opportunity in the 2025 housing market

And So Much More!

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On The Market Podcast 201 - NAR Settles for $418M, Buying and Selling Homes Could Change Forever

Pending Home Sales Rise After Post-Election Surge in Home Tours

The battle against 6% broker fees isn’t over after a surprise 11th hour court filing

Zillow’s Takeover of the Real Estate Industry: The Path to Monopoly

Investor Home Purchases Plateau After a Pandemic-Era Rollercoaster Ride

Grab Dave’s Newest Book, “Start with Strategy”

Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(00:58) Post-Election Home Sales JUMP 

(09:56) Another Agent Commission Lawsuit?

(18:07) The Zillow “Monopoly”

(21:44) Investor Sales Shrink 

(34:10) Stick Around for This!

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It’s the season for housing market predictions, and we know who to call! Altos Research and HousingWire’s Mike Simonsen joins the show to share where his team thinks mortgage rates, home prices, housing inventory, and buyer demand will be in 2025. Every year, the HousingWire team puts together a phenomenal housing market forecast, touching on the topics investors, agents, lenders, and housing nerds care about while recapping the wildest surprises of the year prior.

Will mortgage rates finally fall below six percent in 2025? Will home prices dip with housing inventory up a substantial percentage year-over-year? And could agents and lenders finally get some relief with home sales, or will we still see sluggish purchasing and buyer activity? Not to spoil it, but Mike is optimistic about the 2025 housing market and what will come over the next twelve months.

Mike breaks down each prediction and what could affect YOU the most, whether you’re buying or selling homes. Plus, he shares the one metric his team is watching carefully to see which direction the 2025 housing market is headed. 

In This Episode We Cover

HousingWire’s 2025 housing market forecast and 2024 housing market recap

The mortgage rate range you can expect over the next twelve months

Home price growth and exactly how much the HousingWire team expects in 2025

Why housing inventory is starting to climb again (and whether it will continue in 2025)

One metric Mike and his team are paying very close attention to in 2025

The market’s reaction to the 2024 election and President-Elect Trump’s win

And So Much More!

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On The Market Podcast 269 - 2025 Housing Market Predictions (+ How’d We Do Last Time?)

Altos Research

HousingWire’s 2025 Housing Market Forecast

Get Ready to Invest in 2025 with Dave’s Book, “Start with Strategy”

Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(01:05) Biggest Surprise of 2024

(03:17) Housing Inventory Up 27%!

(08:42) American Migration Freezes

(12:57) 2025 Mortgage Rates

(16:46) More Homes on the Market?

(18:20) Post-Election Housing Market Changes 

(27:08) Home Price Forecast 

(27:49) One Thing to WATCH

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Discounted real estate deals could be coming THIS winter as the housing market begins to “thaw.” Today, Dave is flying solo, bringing you a housing market update on all the crucial factors real estate investors are looking at—home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply, and rent prices. Even with home sales falling by a massive margin, home prices are still at all-time highs, and the housing market is “stuck,” but we could see some sellers taking price cuts this winter if you’re willing to take advantage.

Okay, but how can home prices still be THIS high when the total home sales are twenty percent lower than average and around fifty percent under the recent highs? It’s simple—affordability struggles. High rates, high prices, and “locked-in” homeowners staying in place keep the market frozen. So, why does Dave believe sellers will be more inclined to drop their prices this winter? Where does he believe interest rates will be by the end of the year? And what’s the one thing that could get the housing market “unstuck”? 

In This Episode We Cover

Why Dave believes real estate deals are coming THIS winter

Mortgage rate predictions and how low rates could go by the end of this year

Whether to buy now or wait for affordability to improve, prices to drop, and rates to fall

Why home prices are still rising EVEN with homebuyer demand plummeting

The MASSIVE drop in home sales since the pandemic boom and why prices have remained high

And So Much More!

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On The Market Podcast 255 - The Fed Finally Cuts Rates, but Will It Even Matter?

Nearly A Quarter of Prospective First-Time Homebuyers are Holding Off Until After the Election: Redfin Survey

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Did economic sentiment decide the 2024 presidential election? For many Americans, the economy was top of mind when deciding who to vote for in this past election. With inflationary worries, high home prices and mortgage rates, and general unaffordability, many Americans chose President-Elect Trump to turn the economy around. So, what does the housing market look like under Trump’s economy? And how will proposed changes (like tariffs) influence home prices?

Matthew Walsh from Moody’s Analytics is on to give us some context about consumer sentiment, future home prices and mortgage rates, and what tariffs mean for the average American. Matthew brings up a good point: Even with inflation steadily declining, most Americans are still experiencing sticker shock due to our constant comparison of pre-pandemic pricing. Even with the economy doing well, it’s easy to understand why Americans feel in a worse spot than five years ago.

So, with inflation cooling, will housing affordability catch up? A big part of affordability is mortgage rates, and with the Fed cutting rates, are we on the cusp of a return to (somewhat) normalcy? Matthew shares the shocking statistic on what mortgage rates would have to be for us to reach 2019 levels of affordability. Finally, we’re talking about tariffs and how higher prices for homebuilding could translate to your final home price.

In This Episode We Cover

Consumer sentiment and how American finances influenced the 2024 presidential election 

How low mortgage rates would have to go for us to get back to 2019 affordability levels 

What Trump’s tariff proposal means for homebuilders and home prices

Moody’s 2025 and 2026 home price appreciation forecast

Why mortgage rates aren’t falling even after the Fed lowered their federal funds rate

And So Much More!

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Opinion: There Could Be Financial Risks Under a Trump Presidency—Here’s How to Hedge Against Them

Moody’s Analytics 

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Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(01:18) Consumers Are Anxious

(04:02) The Inflation "Disconnect"

(11:50) Will Homes Ever Be Affordable Again? 

(14:40) Home Prices Could Stagnate

(22:28) The Tariff Effect

(29:14) Still Undersupplied in 2025?

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Has the Federal Reserve gone too far? Many Americans are critical of the Fed’s move to raise interest rates sharply, pause for years, and then slowly start implementing rate cuts. The arguably most prominent critic of the Fed? President-Elect Donald Trump, who, shortly after nominating the current Fed chair, Jerome Powell, reversed his opinion on whether Powell was the right person for the job.

Now, with Trump coming back to the White House, Powell’s job hangs in jeopardy—or does it? Can a President fire the Fed chair? Does the President have the authority to influence how the Fed operates? What would happen if Trump decided to go after Powell and request his resignation? Nick Timiraos, reporter at The Wall Street Journal and Federal Reserve expert, is on to answer these questions.

Nick gives us the latest update on rate cuts, where the Fed is headed, how the future of the Fed looks with Trump back in office, and why some politicians champion “Fed Independence,” while others argue that Fed power has overstepped its bounds. Are Trump and Powell more aligned than they think, and is this government drama all talk? We’re getting Nick’s expert viewpoint on it all. 

In This Episode We Cover

Why “Fed Independence” could actually be a crucial piece to keeping the economy stable

Whether or not Trump has the authority to fire and replace a Fed chair 

Future rate cuts, inflation concerns, and the Fed’s latest “signal” on rates

Powell’s simple response when asked if he would resign because of Trump’s request

Why the Fed does NOT have to answer to the President (and is this a good thing?)

Trump’s proposed tax and tariff policies and why they could challenge the Fed

And So Much More!

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Trump May Consider Shaking Up the Federal Reserve If Elected—Here’s What That Could Look Like

Nick’s WSJ Articles

Grab Dave’s New Book, “Start with Strategy”

Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(00:32) Latest Fed Meeting Update

(02:21) More Rate Cuts Coming?

(04:23) Can Trump Change the Fed?

(08:02) Is the Fed Above the Law?

(15:59) Can Trump Fire Powell?

(18:09) What Happens Next?

(24:02) Trump's Tricky Policies

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When you look at the “Hottest Real Estate Markets” lists from major publications, they often miss many crucial factors that truly make a market worth investing in. So, after getting tired of seeing the same cities repeatedly, we decided to make our own “Real Estate Hotspots” list, touching on the areas that are PRIMED for growth with plenty of appreciation and cash flow potential for landlords. We’re sharing all thirteen cities today!

Our two favorite market pickers, Kathy Fettke and Austin Wolff, are back on the show to share their opinions on these top markets. Austin has spent hours and hours compiling this list, looking at not just population growth but income growth, job growth, GDP per capita, and more leading indicators that point to great real estate investing markets.

Some of the top picks on this list truly surprised us, but the data points to these thirteen cities as some of the best places to buy in 2025. We’ll also talk about the overrated markets that may be past their prime and some nearby options that could make solid real estate investments for the long term! 

In This Episode We Cover

The thirteen real estate investing “hotspots” for 2025 that investors should pay attention to

A very surprising top city that seems to keep on growing EVEN after some solid appreciation 

The “satellite cities” that siphon off big city growth for a fraction of the cost 

Cash flow hotspots that still boast affordable prices with solid rent-to-price ratios

The one Texas city that many investors forget about but is still growing fast (definitely not Austin)

Cities that DIDN’T make the list and are constantly overhyped by the media

And So Much More!

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Deal Finder

Market Finder

13 Real Estate Hot Spots You Won’t Want to Miss Next Year

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Analyze Real Estate Like the Pros with “Real Estate by the Numbers”

Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(03:23) Real Estate “Hotspots”

(08:26) Phoenix, Arizona

(13:39) Colorado Springs, Colorado

(17:03) Cash Flow Hotspots

(22:05) Top 5 Cities

(24:07) Overrated Cities

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It’s what you’ve all been waiting for—our 2025 housing market predictions! We’re sharing where we think home prices, interest rates, and real estate will be over the next year. But we’re not just talking about 2025. We’re also going BACK and reviewing our 2024 housing market forecast, painfully detailing each part we got wrong and congratulating whoever got their predictions right. But how did top real estate companies like Zillow perform on their forecasts? Don’t worry; we’re rating their predictions as well!

Last year, some of us thought home prices would decline year-over-year, while others were confident we’d still see rising prices. We also had surprisingly accurate mortgage rate predictions, so does that mean we could be right for 2025, too? Stick around to find out! Plus, we’re sharing where we think will become the country's best real estate investing markets and naming the cities we believe have the best potential for building wealth!

In This Episode We Cover

Updated 2025 housing market predictions and where home prices and mortgage rates could go

How we (and Zillow!) did on our 2024 housing market forecast (plus what we got WRONG!)

Real estate markets that have the most investment potential in 2025

Why we’re all becoming bullish on lower mortgage rates, EVEN with persistent inflation

Did we ever actually make it into recession territory in 2024?

And So Much More!

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On The Market Podcast 163 - 2024 Housing Market Predictions: Home Prices, Interest Rates, & Opportunities

Grab James’ New Book “The House Flipping Framework”

Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(02:38) Zillow's 2024 Predictions

(11:32) Home Prices 

(14:33) Recession Risk

(16:23) Mortgage Rates

(17:23) Best Markets to Invest

(20:03) 2025 Home Price Predictions 

(23:48) 2025 Mortgage Rate Predictions

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The American Dream was once an everyday reality for most Americans. Now, it’s seemingly impossible for even high-income-earning households to achieve. What went wrong, and is it still possible for financially savvy families to realize the American Dream? A new article dissecting the cost of the American Dream shows that the white picket fence, single-family home, and two new cars cost significantly more than you might think.

In this episode, we’re going over the eye-watering costs of the American Dream, the income you’ll need to achieve it, and why most Americans may never get there. But, as financially independent podcasters, we’re living proof that you don’t need everything this article describes to reach financial freedom. We’re sharing what you might want to give up to achieve your version of the American Dream.

From college costs to raising kids, buying cars, and purchasing a home, we’ll walk through the costliest factors of the American Dream—and some good news, as one big expense is actually getting cheaper.

In This Episode We Cover

The astronomical cost of achieving the American Dream in 2024

What you should give up if you want to reach financial freedom faster

The household income you have to make if you want to achieve the American Dream

Why so many Americans are struggling with rising costs but stagnating wages

One significant expense that’s getting surprisingly more affordable

The things we’ll never give up spending money on (even if it sets us back)

And So Much More!

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The American Dream Now Costs $4.4 Million

The American Dream Trap: Maneuvering Major Expenses in Your Financial Adventure

Reach Your American Dream Faster with “Set for Life”

Jump to topic:

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) The Cost of The American Dream

(04:01) Housing Costs 

(05:14) BIGGEST Cost to Americans

(06:43) Kids Are Too Expensive

(08:28) Cars Cost SO Much 

(10:15) How Much Do You Have to Make?

(15:42) You NEED to Make More Money

(19:53) What to Give Up

(23:43) Some Good News 

(25:22) We WON’T Sacrifice THIS

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