In this Real Estate News Brief for the final two weeks of 2023... you’ll hear the results of the last inflation report along with a few predictions for 2024 and some surprising data on the number of investors buying real estate in the Dallas area.   We begin with a report on the Personal Consumption Expenditures index which is the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge. It shows the PCE dipped .1% in November for an annual rate of 2.6%. The core rate went in the opposite direction with a .1% increase for an annual rate of 3.2%. The core rate eliminates prices for food and gas. If you look at the data for “just” the last six months, the core rate was just 1.9% which is below the Fed’s target rate. Economist Andrew Hunter told CNBC: “Adding in the further sharp slowdown in rent inflation still in the pipeline, it’s hard to see any credible reason why the annual inflation rate won’t also return to the 2% target over the coming months.”...   That’s it for today. You can read more about the stories in this episode by following links in the show notes at newsforinvestors.com. I suggest that you also sign up for a free RealWealth membership to learn more about how to invest in real estate. And please remember to subscribe to this podcast, and leave a review!   Thanks for listening! Kathy Fettke   Links:   1 - https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/22/pce-inflation-november-2023-.html   2 - https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2023/12/pce-measure-of-shelter-slows-to-67-yoy.html   3 - https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/26/sp-case-shiller-october-home-prices-post-biggest-gain-of-2023.html   4 - https://www.marketwatch.com/story/jobless-claims-rise-for-second-straight-week-09add036?mod=search_headline   5 - https://www.marketwatch.com/story/pending-home-sales-flat-in-november-despite-drop-in-mortgage-rates-11e23e17?mod=search_headline   6 - https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms   7 - https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/markets/mortgage-rates-12292023   8 - https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/26/the-us-avoided-a-recession-in-2023-whats-the-outlook-for-2024.html   9 - https://therealdeal.com/texas/dallas/2023/12/29/investors-behind-nearly-a-third-of-dallas-area-home-buys/