Source: Market Watch —
The U.S. housing sector is in the midst of the biggest slowdown in over a decade, one economist says. But don’t expect prices to fall back down to earth just yet.
“The U.S. housing market is at the beginning stages of the most significant contraction in activity since 2006,’” Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac FMCC, -2.43%, tweeted.
“It hasn’t shown up in many data series yet, but mortgage applications are pointing to a large decline over summer,” he explained.” He said home-purchase mortgage applications are down 40% from their most recent peak in 2021.
Purchases and refinance applications are in fact down to the lowest level in 22 years.
