
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

May 13, 2021 • 10min
Breaking Down the Limits of the Wealth Effect in Today’s Housing Market - EP 12
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi unpack the ‘wealth effect’ economic theory and explain why, despite soaring house prices, the wealth effect’s influence on the housing market may be limited.

Apr 29, 2021 • 11min
Is the Housing Market Heading for a Crash? - EP 11
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain why today’s housing market is unlike the housing market that preceded the Great Recession and why we’re unlikely to see a housing market crash anytime soon.

Apr 15, 2021 • 13min
What Drives the Decision to Become a Homeowner? - Ep 10
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain how the vast majority of potential home buyers reach the decision to become a buy a home and what that means for the housing market and homeownership rate moving forward.

Apr 1, 2021 • 15min
Why Housing Affordability Should Be Viewed Through the Lens of Renters and Supply - EP 9
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain why the key to measuring housing affordability is to determine whether a renter can afford to purchase a home, or more precisely how many homes they can afford to buy, if any.

Mar 18, 2021 • 14min
Is the speed of sales sending mixed signals about housing inventory? - EP 8
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi examine the housing market’s supply shortage ahead of the spring home-buying season and explain how the annual pace of home sales can be rising when there are so few homes for sale.

Mar 4, 2021 • 16min
What does the GameStop frenzy and innovation in mortgage finance have in common? - EP 7
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi discuss how technology and innovation played a role in the recent GameStop stock market frenzy and what that phenomenon has in common with innovation in mortgage finance and the housing market.

Feb 15, 2021 • 22min
Why Can’t We Build Enough Homes to Meet Demand? - EP 6
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi discuss the headwinds home builders face as they try to ramp up new home construction amid today’s strong demand for housing and an historic housing supply shortage.

Jan 27, 2021 • 20min
Why Rising Mortgage Rates Are Nothing to Fear - Ep 05
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi discuss whether or not mortgage rates will rise in 2021 and provide historical perspective on how the housing market responded during previous rising mortgage rate eras.

Jan 13, 2021 • 18min
What a Changing Labor Market Means for Housing - Ep 04
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi discuss how long-term shifts in the U.S. labor market have been accelerated by the pandemic, and what that may mean for housing in the months and years ahead.

Dec 10, 2020 • 23min
2021 Housing Market Outlook - Ep 03
In this episode of the REconomy podcast from First American, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explain what has fueled the impressive housing market rebound from the pandemic-driven slowdown in the spring of 2020 and why the housing market remains on solid footing heading into 2021.
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