Sentiment

Consumer Sentiment Tumbles in February, Except for Republicans

Consumers’ sentiment toward the economy distinctly wavered in February for almost all groups across the board, with some disagreement across political parties, according to the latest data from the University of Michigan. The latest Index of Consumer Sentiment reading came in at 64.7 for February, falling a sharp 9.8% from January’s 71.7 reading. The Index… […]

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Consumer Sentiment Rises for Fifth Straight Month in December

The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index improved for the fifth consecutive month in December, rising about 3% to its highest reading in seven months. A surge in buying conditions for durables led Current Economic Conditions to soar more than 20%. Rather than a sign of strength, this rise in durables was primarily due to… […]

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Consumer Sentiment Turns Positive as Inflation Slows

With a recent interest rate decrease from the Fed and slowing inflation, consumers’ economic hopes saw a significant increase in September. Consumer sentiment rose 3.2% in September, from 67.9 in August to 70.1, according to the University of Michigan’s latest report. This is the second consecutive month of increase, following August’s rise of 1.5 points,… […]

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Op-Ed: A Beacon of Light Amidst Anti-Immigrant Sentiment in America

Above, Jamie Tian on the cover of ARE magazine I was working on some listings a couple months back when I read an email from Hope Atuel, the CEO of Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) laying out her idea for the cover of our ARE magazine to be published for the recently completed… […]

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Consumer Sentiment Rises Slightly for the Third Consecutive Month

How are consumers feeling overall, and how does that translate to a real estate sale? The question is multifaceted, but asking it could be key to learning where buyers stand as the election fast approaches. The consumer sentiment index indicated yet another rise, for the third consecutive month, per the University of Michigan’s survey of… […]

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Consumer Sentiment Shifts From Gains to Slight Decline

A key skill to being a real estate agent is judging a buyer’s mood. So how are consumers feeling on a wide scale?  Consumer sentiment dipped slightly in the early days of October 2024, from 70.1 to 68.9, per the latest report for the University of Michigan. This monthly change comes in below expectations; median… […]

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NAHB Reports Remodeling Market Sentiment Dips in Q3

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for Q3, posting a reading of 63, down two points compared to the previous quarter. The NAHB/Westlake Royal RMI survey asks remodelers to rate five components of the remodeling market as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” Each question is measured on… […]

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Consumer Sentiment Continues to Warm in February

Consumers’ feelings continue to thaw toward the economy this winter, according to the latest data from the University of Michigan. Consumer sentiment grew an astounding 0.8% in February, following a 13.1% leap in January and a sharp increase in December. “The fact that sentiment lost no ground this month suggests that consumers continue to feel… […]

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Consumer Sentiment at Highest Levels in Years

The latest Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI) shows an increase of 3.5 points in January to 70.7, its highest level since March 2022. Overall, the full index is up 9.1 points year over year. The index and its assessment are based on the following components: Do respondents think now is a good time… […]

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Consumer Sentiment Continues to Gain Momentum

The latest Survey of Consumers from the University of Michigan finds that consumer sentiment in January remains relatively rosy, suggesting optimism about the economy as the new year gets underway. The Index of Consumer Sentiment, calculated by surveying consumers, currently sits at 79, a substantial increase both month-over-month (69.7 in December 2023) and year-over-year (64.9… […]

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