Why Rents and Wages Drive Home Prices

The housing market remains in an injured state, with transactions still frozen and an increasing number of states seeing falling prices.But...the Federal Reserve has resumed rate cuts and mortgage rates are lower than at the start of the year.So, will we start to see some healing in the housing market as we head into 2026?Or will things get worse from here?Today we have the good fortune to be joined by Nick Gerli, founder of reventure Consulting and creator of the excellent reventure app.Nick walks through his latest --- and increasingly pessimistic -- outlook on the US housing market and shares a number of charts with us.

TIME IS RUNING OUT! GET YOUR TICKET NOW FOR SATURDAY'S THOUGHTFUL MONEY FALL CONFERENCE AT https://thoughtfulmoney.com/conference#homeprices #housingmarket #realestate 0:00 - High-Level Summary: Disinflationary Vortex2:07 - Growing Pessimism: Rental Market Downturn3:18 - Affordability Crisis in For-Sale & Rental Markets4:52 - Immigration's Impact on Rentals & Housing6:55 - Work Permit Applications Plummet8:26 - Single-Family Rent Growth Hits 14-Year Low9:41 - Disinflation Argument: Shelter's Role in CPI11:37 - Key Inflations for Housing: Rents & Wages Only13:36 - Wage Growth Moderating Post-Great Resignation15:00 - Home Prices vs. Income: Bubble Territory16:22 - Home Price Declines Spread to Half of U.S. States18:14 - Local Variations: Micro-Level Analysis19:48 - Examples: Crashes in Houston & Tampa Zip Codes21:24 - National Map: Contagion of Price Declines23:10 - Wealth Effect: Affluent Buyers vs. Broader Market25:42 - Average Home Buyer Age Now 5627:53 - Stock Market Correction's Potential Housing Impact31:26 - Inventory Drives Prices: State-by-State Breakdown35:32 - National Inventory Trends & 2026 Forecast37:18 - Mortgage Rate Distribution: Unlocking Supply40:36 - Lower Rates Could Boost Inventory, Not Prices42:39 - Homebuilders Cutting Prices to Move Inventory45:12 - New Homes Now Cheaper Than Existing Ones47:54 - Softening Labor Market Adds Downward Pressure50:53 - Buyer Demand at 30-Year Lows53:12 - Unemployment's Direct Link to Defaults55:22 - Forbearance Programs Distorting Foreclosures57:47 - Student Loan Repayments Fueling Delinquencies1:00:33 - Parting Advice: Buyers, Sellers & Investors1:02:55 - Where to Follow Nick Gerli & Reventure App1:04:12 - Conference Reminder & Financial Advice_____________________________________________ Thoughtful Money LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor Promoter.We produce educational content geared for the individual investor. It’s important to note that this content is NOT investment advice, individual or otherwise, nor should be construed as such.We recommend that most investors, especially if inexperienced, should consider benefiting from the direction and guidance of a qualified financial advisor registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or state securities regulators who can develop & implement a personalized financial plan based on a customer’s unique goals, needs & risk tolerance.IMPORTANT NOTE: There are risks associated with investing in securities.Investing in stocks, bonds, exchange traded funds, mutual funds, money market funds, and other types of securities involve risk of loss. Loss of principal is possible. Some high risk investments may use leverage, which will accentuate gains & losses. Foreign investing involves special risks, including a greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods.A security’s or a firm’s past investment performance is not a guarantee or predictor of future investment performance.Thoughtful Money and the Thoughtful Money logo are trademarks of Thoughtful Money LLC.Copyright © 2025 Thoughtful Money LLC. All rights reserved.