In this New Year’s episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi offer their “resolutions” for the 2026 housing market. From mortgage rates that may remain above 6 percent to gradual improvements in affordability, inventory, and sales activity, 2026 resolves to trend toward normalization amid a still-solid macroeconomic landscape. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.  

In this special holiday episode of The REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi unwrap the hidden homeownership themes threaded throughout some of the most iconic holiday movie classics. From It’s a Wonderful Life to Home Alone to The Holiday, and Christmas Vacation, homeownership is more than a backdrop, it is the emotional core of the American story. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.  

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi dig into the 2026 outlook for commercial real estate (CRE) with senior economist Xander Snyder, who identified five forces that will shape the CRE market as its nascent recovery accelerates. Stabilizing prices, rising sales activity, rebounding refinancing volumes, increasing distress resolution, and lenders pivoting from defense to offense signal that 2026 may be the year the CRE recovery truly starts to feel like one. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.  

In this holiday-themed episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi channel the classic Heat Miser and Snow Miser characters from The Year Without Santa Claus to debate the Federal Reserve’s upcoming December rate decision. From cooling shelter inflation and moderating wage growth to tariff-driven price pressures and a softening labor market, they break down the mixed signals shaping the Fed’s interest rate dilemma. Mark and Odeta make the case why the Fed may lean toward some Heat Miser rate-cut warmth or adopt some Snow Miser restraint heading into 2026. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.  

In this Thanksgiving-themed episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi carve up the 2025 housing market trends they’re thankful for. From easing mortgage rates and improving affordability to growing inventory and demographic tailwinds, they highlight ‘grateful eight’ reasons for housing market optimism. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi shine a light on the housing market’s scariest headlines, exposing the myths shrouding reality. They explain why slowing price growth, a modest uptick in delinquencies, and low sales volumes point to a market that’s steadily rebalancing, rather than crashing. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.  

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi and Senior Commercial Economist Xander Snyder break down whether the commercial real estate market has reached peak distress, explaining why shifts in debt maturities, delinquency rates and sales activity across asset classes may offer a glimmer of optimism.

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi break down why Federal Reserve rate cuts don’t always translate into lower mortgage rates and how today’s complex economic environment may make the housing market less rate sensitive than many believe.   Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.  

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explore the state of housing affordability through the lens of history and even the NFL. They compare affordability levels today with those from the late 1970s and early 1980s, revealing why the “cheaper” homes of the past weren’t necessarily more affordable, and highlight the results of the 2025 Affordability Bowl, which ranks first-time home buyer affordability across NFL divisions. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today.  

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi welcome back Senior Commercial Real Estate Economist Xander Snyder to discuss the shifting dynamics within the industrial real estate market. Net absorption for industrial turned negative for the first time in 15 years, a clear signal of a rebalancing market, but a closer look indicates long-term support for industrial demand.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi dig into the question on every potential home buyer’s mind, “where are mortgage rates headed through the end of the year?” Their conversation highlights why rates are not the only driver of market activity and explain the “dual lock-in effect” keeping a lid on housing market activity. However, there’s reason for optimism, as a new real estate cycle may be emerging.

In this episode of The Economy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi wrap up The REconomy Summer School series by diving into the findings of a recently published multi-part research series on the rising costs of living with special guest and research author, Senior Economist Sam Williamson. A variety of economic, environmental, and regional factors have pushed the number of cost-burdened households to a new peak in 2023. Their conversation breaks down how rising costs have impacted different age groups, why certain markets have suffered more than others, and what’s next in Sam’s cost of living series.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi continue the REconomy Summer School series with a discussion of a possible solution to the housing affordability crisis. From easing zoning restrictions and regulatory hurdles to addressing financing challenges and quelling NIMBY opposition, the episode unpacks how reviving construction of “missing middle” housing can help improve affordability. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today. 

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi continue season two of The REconomy Summer School series with an in-depth look at the supply side of the housing market, explaining the long-term structural shortage in the nation’s supply of housing and the challenges limiting builders’ efforts to build more homes in the places people want to live.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi reconvene season 2 of The REconomy Summer School series with an in-depth discussion of the factors that drive the decision to buy a home – from lifestyle events like marriage, children, and career changes to economic realities like affordability, inventory, and credit constraints – and what that means for today’s housing market.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi call class back into session as they kick off season 2 of The REconomy Summer School with an in-depth look at the foundation of housing demand – household formation, who forms households and when, and what even counts as a household.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi examine growing concerns regarding the health of the housing market, finding that distress is rising and prices are declining in some markets, but the broader fundamentals underpinning housing remain strong.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi commemorate National Homeownership Month with a deep dive into the state of homeownership, including how it’s measured, the demographics of homeownership and what the future holds for prospective buyers.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi and Senior Commercial Economist Xander Snyder examine the wave of retailers going out of business and how their abandoned retail space may impact retail leasing dynamics across the country.

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi discuss the impact of recent market volatility and tariff uncertainty, analyzing data to determine if housing has slipped into a recession.