Top of Mind
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Top of Mind episodes

  • Are rising mortgage rates already deterring home buyers? (2/5/24 Market Update)

    Welcome to How’s the Market, our weekly look at what’s happening in the US housing market, powered by data from Altos Research.

    If you want to see all the inventory, pricing, and supply and demand charts we reference in the show, head on over to our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/altosresearch.

    Hosted by Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

    A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. Altos provides national and local real estate data to financial institutions, real estate professionals, and investors across the country, and the company is now part of HW Media, publisher of HousingWire and RealTrends. Mike uses Altos data to identify trends in the real estate market well before the headlines, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Fortune, Forbes and other publications.

    15 min
  • Home sales are growing. Will it continue? (1/29/24 Market Update)

    Welcome to How’s the Market, our weekly look at what’s happening in the US housing market, powered by data from Altos Research.

    If you want to see all the inventory, pricing, and supply and demand charts we reference in the show, head on over to our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/altosresearch.

    Hosted by Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

    A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. Altos provides national and local real estate data to financial institutions, real estate professionals, and investors across the country, and the company is now part of HW Media, publisher of HousingWire and RealTrends. Mike uses Altos data to identify trends in the real estate market well before the headlines, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Fortune, Forbes and other publications.

    13 min
  • CoreLogic’s Selma Hepp’s Forecast for the 2024 Housing Market

    In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Selma Hepp, Chief Economist at CoreLogic, to get her take on what’s happening in the housing economy. Selma shares CoreLogic’s forecast for 2024 home prices and mortgage rates, talks about the biggest surprises from 2023, and offers insights into how they hit the mark on their 2023 forecast when everyone else was expecting prices to fall. She also discusses CoreLogic’s new Climate Risk Analysis platform and the growing impact of insurance costs in risky states.

    About Selma Hepp

    Selma Hepp is the Chief Economist for CoreLogic, America’s largest provider of advanced property and ownership information, analytics and data-enabled services. Selma leads the economics team, which is responsible for analyzing, interpreting and forecasting housing and economic trends in real estate, mortgage and insurance.

    Prior to joining CoreLogic in 2020, Selma was Chief Economist and Vice President of Business Intelligence for Pacific Union International, later acquired by Compass, where she oversaw the vital economic and technology intelligence to drive the expanding brokerage’s success. Selma also held the role of Chief Economist for Trulia; Senior Economist for the California Association of Realtors; and Economist and Manager for Public Policy and Homeownership research for the National Association of Realtors, as well as a special research assistant at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

    Selma frequently appears on local and national radio and television programs and has been widely quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and many industry trade publications such as National Mortgage News and HousingWire. Selma received the HousingWire Women of Influence Award in 2022.

    Selma graduated from the State University of New York, Buffalo with an M.A. in Economics and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.

    Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

    • CoreLogic’s 2024 home price & mortgage rate forecast
    • Why their 2023 forecast for slight home price appreciation was so unusual at the time, and yet it turned out to be precisely correct
    • Other big housing market surprises from 2023
    • Her biggest takeaways for 2024, including how much the mortgage market will rebound this year and why
    • The surprising strength in refis in 2024
    • Her take on the most important trends in housing policy for 2024
    • What she’s worried about macro-economically and with housing in particular over the near future
    • Why Phoenix and Las Vegas outperformed Austin last year - even when all were big boom markets during the pandemic
    • Key findings from CoreLogic’s Quarterly investor report
    • CoreLogic’s new Climate Risk Analysis platform and the growing impact of insurance costs in risky states.

    • Resources mentioned in this episode:

      • Connect with Selma on LinkedIn
      • CoreLogic
      • Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
      • Altos Research

      • Featuring Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

        A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

        Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

        • Altos on Twitter
        • Mike on Twitter

        • About Altos Research

          The Top of Mind Podcast is produced by Altos Research.

          Each week, Altos tracks every home for sale in the country - all the pricing, and all the changes in pricing - and synthesizes those analytics to make them available before becoming visible through traditional channels.

          Schedule a demo to see Altos in action. You can also get a copy of our free eBook: How To Use Market Data to Build Your Real Estate Business.

          53 min
        • Real estate momentum slows as interest rates rise again (1/22/24 Market Update)

          Welcome to How’s the Market, our weekly look at what’s happening in the US housing market, powered by data from Altos Research.

          If you want to see all the inventory, pricing, and supply and demand charts we reference in the show, head on over to our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/altosresearch.

          Hosted by Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

          A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. Altos provides national and local real estate data to financial institutions, real estate professionals, and investors across the country, and the company is now part of HW Media, publisher of HousingWire and RealTrends. Mike uses Altos data to identify trends in the real estate market well before the headlines, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Fortune, Forbes and other publications.

          15 min
        • Signs point to more inventory this spring (1/15/24 Market Update)

          Welcome to How’s the Market, our weekly look at what’s happening in the US housing market, powered by data from Altos Research.

          If you want to see all the inventory, pricing, and supply and demand charts we reference in the show, head on over to our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/altosresearch.

          Hosted by Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

          A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. Altos provides national and local real estate data to financial institutions, real estate professionals, and investors across the country, and the company is now part of HW Media, publisher of HousingWire and RealTrends. Mike uses Altos data to identify trends in the real estate market well before the headlines, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Fortune, Forbes and other publications.

          15 min
        • Lessons from a Top 1% Agent with LabCoat’s Tristan Ahumada

          In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Tristan Ahumada from LabCoat Agents to talk about how agents should be using social media and other marketing tools to build their business in 2024. Tristan shares what he learned as a leader on Facebook’s real estate market advisory board, offers tips on how to use Altos reports with clients, and discusses his high-impact, values-based social media strategy. He also gives his take on what the next 10 years will look like for real estate agents and the business.

          About Tristan Ahumada

          Tristan Ahumada became Rookie of the Year at Century 21 at age twenty-four, his first year in the real estate business. He is now in the top 1% of all real estate agents in the U.S. Tristan also created LabCoat Agents in 2014 as a Facebook group and has grown the popular social media page to over 137,000 members.

          He is the CEO and founder of A Brilliant Tribe, an online community builder and social media strategy company.

          Tristan strives to help people throughout the world as a Fortune 500 consultant, leadership and growth coach, and a People editor for Success Magazine.

          Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

          • How Tristan built the largest Realtor social media group - LabCoat Agents with 137,000 members - and Realtor newsletter with 500,000 subscribers
          • What he learned as a leader on Facebook’s real estate market advisory board
          • How he uses Altos reports with clients, including fun social media ideas
          • His values-based social media strategy, and how other agents can adopt it
          • Why the algorithm “favors the extreme,” and what that means for his approach
          • His Like, Comment, Message process for social media growth
          • Why Google is still better for paid ads than social media
          • How he leverages AI in his work with clients and his team
          • What the next 10 years will look like for real estate agents and the business

          • Resources mentioned in this episode:

            • Connect with Tristan on LinkedIn
            • LabCoat Agents
            • Altos Research

            • Featuring Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

              A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

              Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

              • Altos on Twitter
              • Mike on Twitter

              • About Altos Research

                The Top of Mind Podcast is produced by Altos Research.

                Each week, Altos tracks every home for sale in the country - all the pricing, and all the changes in pricing - and synthesizes those analytics to make them available before becoming visible through traditional channels.

                Schedule a demo to see Altos in action. You can also get a copy of our free eBook: How To Use Market Data to Build Your Real Estate Business.

                57 min
              • The strong spring real estate market will surprise you (1/8/24 Market Update)

                Welcome to How’s the Market, our weekly look at what’s happening in the US housing market, powered by data from Altos Research.

                If you want to see all the inventory, pricing, and supply and demand charts we reference in the show, head on over to our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/altosresearch.

                Hosted by Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

                A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. Altos provides national and local real estate data to financial institutions, real estate professionals, and investors across the country, and the company is now part of HW Media, publisher of HousingWire and RealTrends. Mike uses Altos data to identify trends in the real estate market well before the headlines, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Fortune, Forbes and other publications.

                14 min
              • HousingWire’s Logan Mohtashami on the Housing Market Outlook for 2024

                In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Logan Mohtashami, lead analyst at HousingWire, to talk about his housing market predictions for 2024. Logan looks at inventory challenges, offers his take on what to expect with mortgage rates, and gives his forecast for prices, home sales, and more. He also shares which signals we should be watching for shifts in the market in the coming year.

                About Logan Mohtashami

                Logan Mohtashami is a renowned expert in the mortgage and housing ecosystem, recognized for his insightful analysis and commentary on the U.S. economy and real estate market. Mohtashami is a lead analyst for HousingWire and is a regular contributor on the HousingWire Daily podcast. With a background spanning over two decades in the mortgage industry, Mohtashami — nicknamed “The Chart Guy” — has the remarkable ability to decipher complex economic data and translate it into understandable, actionable insights. This knowledge has made Mohtashami a sought-after commentator and his expertise has been featured extensively in news outlets, including CNBC, where he is a frequent guest.

                Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

                • How to think about interest rates and likely Fed moves in 2024
                • His predictions for home prices, home sales, and inventory in 2024
                • What we can we expect from home sellers in 2024
                • Whether inventory can ever get back to the old normal levels again
                • How Millennials are impacting the housing market, and what to expect as they age
                • His favorite forward-looking indicators for the real estate market
                • What signals to watch to see a recession coming
                • What he got wrong looking at 2023, and how that shifted his thinking about 2024

                • Resources mentioned in this episode:

                  • Connect with Logan on LinkedIn
                  • Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
                  • Altos Research

                  • Featuring Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

                    A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

                    Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

                    • Altos on Twitter
                    • Mike on Twitter

                    • About Altos Research

                      The Top of Mind Podcast is produced by Altos Research.

                      Each week, Altos tracks every home for sale in the country - all the pricing, and all the changes in pricing - and synthesizes those analytics to make them available before becoming visible through traditional channels.

                      Schedule a demo to see Altos in action. You can also get a copy of our free eBook: How To Use Market Data to Build Your Real Estate Business.

                      54 min
                    • Are home sellers finally coming back to the market? (12/18/23 Market Update)

                      Welcome to How’s the Market, our weekly look at what’s happening in the US housing market, powered by data from Altos Research.

                      If you want to see all the inventory, pricing, and supply and demand charts we reference in the show, head on over to our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/altosresearch.

                      Hosted by Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

                      A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. Altos provides national and local real estate data to financial institutions, real estate professionals, and investors across the country, and the company is now part of HW Media, publisher of HousingWire and RealTrends. Mike uses Altos data to identify trends in the real estate market well before the headlines, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Fortune, Forbes and other publications.

                      16 min
                    • Fastmarkets’ Dustin Jalbert on What Lumber Can Tell Us About 2024

                      In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Dustin Jalbert from Fastmarkets RISI’s Wood Products team, to find out what the lumber market can tell us about housing, now and for 2024. Dustin shares why construction may be past its recession and is set to expand in 2024, why lumber prices may increase with demand but won’t jump big again, and how to think about demographic demands for housing in the next decade.

                      About Dustin Jalbert

                      Dustin leads the lumber analysis on Fastmarkets RISI’s Wood Products team, where he is responsible for the monthly Lumber Commentary and the North American Lumber Forecasts, along with special client studies and consulting engagements. As a business economist, Dustin has spent nearly a decade covering the global forest products industry.

                      Prior to joining Fastmarkets RISI’s wood products team, Dustin provided support with forecasts and analyses related to the global packaging and pulp markets, including single- and multi-client studies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the University of Maine, and master’s in international finance and economics from Brandeis University.

                      Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

                      • Why the lumber market matters for residential real estate
                      • What the lumber market tells us about housing now and for 2024
                      • Why construction may be past its recession and is set to expand in 2024
                      • Why lumber prices in 2024 may increase with demand but won’t jump big again
                      • The reason why we probably can’t build our way out of the inventory crisis
                      • How to think about demographic needs for housing for the next decade
                      • The surprising thing that’s still in shortage, that is preventing homes from completing construction
                      • What to know about sustainability in the lumber industry

                      • Resources mentioned in this episode:

                        • Connect with Dustin on LinkedIn
                        • Fastmarkets
                        • Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
                        • Altos Research

                        • Featuring Mike Simonsen, President of Altos Research

                          A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

                          Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

                          • Altos on Twitter
                          • Mike on Twitter

                          • About Altos Research

                            The Top of Mind Podcast is produced by Altos Research.

                            Each week, Altos tracks every home for sale in the country - all the pricing, and all the changes in pricing - and synthesizes those analytics to make them available before becoming visible through traditional channels.

                            Schedule a demo to see Altos in action. You can also get a copy of our free eBook: How To Use Market Data to Build Your Real Estate Business.

                            1 hr 3 min

                          About Top of Mind

                          From the publisher's feed

                          The Top of Mind podcast features top real estate industry insiders and experts to unpack the most important housing, real estate, mortgage data and trends that are shaping the housing market. Hosted…

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