
The REconomy Podcast
First American’s economic podcast examining the forces that influence real estate, housing and affordability, featuring First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming, Ph.D. and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi.
Latest episodes

Jul 17, 2025 • 18min
Understanding the Supply Side Challenges – Why Can’t We Build More Homes Where People Want to Live? - Summer School Series - EP 120
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.

Jul 3, 2025 • 15min
Why Life Events Still Drive Home-Buying Demand Despite Affordability Challenges - Summer School Series - EP 119
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.

Jun 19, 2025 • 16min
What is the Foundation of Housing Demand in the U.S.? - Summer School Series - EP 118
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.

Jun 5, 2025 • 15min
Don’t Mistake a Housing Market Wobble for a Crash - EP 117
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.

May 22, 2025 • 13min
The State of Homeownership in 2025 - EP 116
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.

May 8, 2025 • 13min
Are we on the Verge of a Retail Leasing Apocalypse? - EP 115
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.

Apr 25, 2025 • 15min
Has Market Volatility and Tariff Uncertainty Triggered a Housing Recession? - EP 114
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.

Apr 10, 2025 • 17min
How CRE Property Owners Are Adapting to Rising Property Insurance Rates - EP 113
In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Senior Commercial Economist Xander Snyder discuss the impact rising insurance premiums are having within the commercial real estate market and how CRE property owners are adapting.

Mar 27, 2025 • 18min
Are we Heading Toward a Recession? - EP 112
In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi analyze the economic question of the moment – will the downturn in consumer sentiment turn to sediment and usher in a recession?

Mar 13, 2025 • 16min
What to Expect from the 2025 Spring Home-Buying Season - EP 111
In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™ from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi share their thoughts on the outlook for the 2025 spring home-buying season.