Top of Mind
Download on the App Store

Top of Mind episodes

  • Forecasting Home Prices with Pulsenomics’ Terry Loebs

    In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Terry Loebs from Pulsenomics for a deep dive into forecasting home prices and the housing market. Terry has been at the forefront of measuring and projecting home prices for decades.

    About Terry Loebs

    Terry Loebs possesses more than 35 years of experience in the capital markets and in developing innovative data-driven products and services. He started his career on Wall Street evaluating and trading mortgage whole loans and servicing rights portfolios while earning his MBA at The New York University Stern School of Business.

    After joining the Case Shiller Weiss, Inc. (CSW) in 1996, Terry led the commercial development of the Case-Shiller Indexes®, the subsequent effort to establish their reputation as a premier home price performance benchmark, and the launch of the first AVM for both consumers and lenders. After the 2002 acquisition of CSW by Fiserv, Terry managed the property data analytics team at the merged organization for three years before reuniting with Robert Shiller at MacroMarkets LLC.

    In 2011, Terry founded Pulsenomics®, an independent research and index product development firm that leverages expertise in data analytics, opinion research, financial markets, and economics to deliver unique insight and market intelligence to institutional clients, partners, and the public at large. Since 2010, Terry has managed an expert survey panel comprised of over 150 leading economists, investment strategists, portfolio managers, and real estate market analysts to produce the quarterly Home Price Expectations Survey™, which is currently sponsored by Fannie Mae. 

    For nearly a decade, Terry also served as lead independent trustee and eventually board chairman overseeing a multibillion-dollar ETF trust until its sale in early 2024.

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

    • Can people really forecast the housing market? Or home prices?
    • Can we better understand how housing wealth impacts the broader economy?
    • Why legacy macroeconomic confidence indicators don’t include housing and why that matters
    • What the Fannie Mae Home Price Expectations Survey tells us about the housing market for 2024 and beyond
    • The surprising way that forecasters’ views for housing in 2024 are different than they have been for the last 15 years
    • Why home prices have “downward stickiness”
    • How forecasting long-term home prices is different from forecasting the next year and what to look for long term
    • The one housing market indicator that 84% of expert panelists agree on
    • Which risks are not yet priced into the housing market expectations
    • The big macro economic trends that are potentially the most impactful for the housing market in the coming years.

    • Resources mentioned in this episode:

      • Terry Loebs | LinkedIn
      • Pulsenomics
      • Mike Simonsen | 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.

          59 min
        • Housing market sees more price cuts as inventory continues to grow.

          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
        • What to expect in the real estate market for the rest of the year

          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
        • Real Talk on Rates with Mortgage News Daily’s Matt Graham

          In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Matt Graham from MBS Live and Mortgage News Daily. A former loan originator, Matt is one of the foremost technology innovators and market commentators in the mortgage industry. Matt talks about what to expect with mortgage rates for the rest of the year and into 2025, and offers keen insights into a variety of other economic indicators.

          About Matt Graham

          A former originator, Matt fell into the rabbit hole of following the bond market in order to better understand mortgage rate movement. While the systems available at the time were useful, they barely scratched the surface. They also ran the risk of teaching originators to focus on things that didn't really matter.

          So Matt set out to build something that solved both problems. In the 20 years that followed, Matt has proven to be the industry's foremost innovator in market data services designed specifically for mortgage originators. MBS Live continues to be the most trusted, most accurate, and most timely source of streaming bond prices, data and dialogue.

          Matt is routinely featured in the media as a mortgage rate expert and is responsible for helping several major media outlets modernize their mortgage rate reporting. He currently lives in the Pacific Northwest where he enjoys skiing, fishing, hunting, coaching youth sports, playing in the old guy league, and most of all, spending time with his family.

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

          • Why everyone was fooled about rates for 2024
          • What to look for with mortgage rates for the rest of the year and into 2025
          • What to look for in the inflation data for the next few months
          • Which other macroeconomic measures we should be watching
          • How the Fed communicates, and how markets react to the Fed
          • The latest dynamics of mortgage pricing, fees and points
          • Why the last two years has been “tougher than the Great Financial Crisis” for mortgage lenders
          • Why the 8% interest rate in September 2023 was probably “defensive panic” and unlikely to repeat
          • How the post-Covid stimulus money is still reverberating in the economy and the markets today
          • Whether there’s a threshold rate for where consumers start to buy homes
          • His view of the imperative to “spread the wealth” of real estate in the US to more people, including those who are long term renters

          • Resources mentioned in this episode:

            • Matt Graham | LinkedIn
            • MBS Live
            • Mortgage News Daily
            • Mike Simonsen | 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.

                55 min
              • Inventory growth is slowing. Are sellers backing off? (6/24/24 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
              • Inventory Inches Up While Prices Hold Steady (6/17/24 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.

                16 min
              • Building a Rental Business with Michael Zuber from One Rental at a Time

                In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Michael Zuber from One Rental at a Time to talk about how he built a thriving rental business and the big market trends for people who are building now.

                About Michael Zuber

                Michael Zuber is Author of One Rental at a Time, a story of working full time and building a real estate portfolio that eventually replaced two six-figure incomes. Having successfully made the leap from W2 to Financial Freedom 5+ years ago he now spends his time helping others see what is possible with a little focus and daily discipline.

                Resources mentioned in this episode:

                • One Rental at a Time
                • Michael Zuber | LinkedIn
                • Michael Zuber | Instagram
                • Mike Simonsen | 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
                  • Home prices have started to slip in a few states (6/3/24)

                    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
                  • Unsold inventory is rising across the country (5/28/24 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
                  • Getting Smart on ADUs with Samara’s Mike McNamara

                    In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Mike McNamara, co-founder and CEO of Samara, to talk about all things ADUs. ADUs, or accessory dwelling units, are small, self-contained residential units located on the same lot as an existing single-family home. You might know them as “granny flats” or “in-laws” or even “casitas.” And given the housing affordability crisis in our country, ADUs are starting to really gain traction as a potential solution for this. Mike gives us a primer on ADUs and why they hold so much promise for solving many of America’s housing challenges.

                    About Mike McNamara

                    Mike McNamara is the co-founder and CEO of Samara, a company that aims to improve the way we live, starting by holistically reimagining the home. Samara aspires to a brighter future through beautifully-designed products that balance comfort, sustainability, and simplicity. 

                    In 2020, McNamara was tapped by Joe Gebbia to lead an innovation team inside Airbnb. In 2022, the innovation team was moved out of Airbnb and reborn as Samara. 

                    Prior to Airbnb, McNamara spent 13 years as the CEO of Flex, a Fortune 500 company in the electronics manufacturing industry. Alongside the executive team, he grew the company to over 200,000 employees in 30 countries and generated over $25B in revenue.

                    McNamara served as a Board member of MEMC (energy), Delphi (automotive), Flex (manufacturing and technology) and Slack (enterprise software). He currently serves on two public boards - Carrier and Workday. He also serves as an advisor to New Legacy which operates multiple investment funds.

                    McNamara received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in business administration from Santa Clara University.

                    Resources mentioned in this episode:

                    • Mike McNamara | LinkedIn
                    • Samara raises $41 million to bring high quality ADUs to every backyard in California and beyond
                    • Samara
                    • Mike Simonsen | 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 7 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…

                      More shows like Top of Mind

                      RealTrending by RealTrends

                      RealTrending

                      15 Listeners

                      Power House by HousingWire

                      Power House

                      63 Listeners

                      HousingWire Daily by HousingWire

                      HousingWire Daily

                      166 Listeners

                      House of Data by Altos Research

                      House of Data

                      4 Listeners

                      The RMD Podcast by Reverse Mortgage Daily

                      The RMD Podcast

                      4 Listeners