A cooling labor market, rising housing inventory, and growing uncertainty around the Fed’s next move are shaping a complex end to the year for real estate. In this month’s market update, Gabi Brennesholtz and Ruben Gonzalez break down the latest unemployment trends, what October’s existing home sales reveal about buyer behavior, and how affordability challenges are reshaping who’s entering the market. They also dig into NAR’s newest survey insights—from cash buyers to rising down payments—and explain why December’s Fed meeting could trigger meaningful rate volatility.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What the latest unemployment and claims data suggest about the labor market’s direction
• Why existing home sales remain flat despite easing mortgage rates—and how rising inventory is shifting buyer behavior
• How affordability challenges are pushing the average first-time buyer age to 40 and driving down-payment trends to record highs
• What the NAR’s newest survey reveals about cash buyers, investor participation, and today’s longer buying cycles
• Why December’s Fed meeting is essentially a 50/50 call—and how that uncertainty may impact mortgage-rate volatility
• What a 50-year mortgage would really mean for buyers, equity, and long-term wealth building

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & overview of this month’s market update

00:51 Unemployment data, claims reports, and what they signal about the labor market

03:12 What the Fed will consider in the upcoming meeting and why uncertainty is unusually high

04:29 October existing home sales, rising inventory, and regional price trends

06:13 NAR survey insights: cash buyers, buyer age, down payments, and shifting buying cycles

12:34 Upcoming Fed meeting and what to expect

14:21 50-year mortgage question: viability, affordability impact, and long-term wealth concerns

17:59 Final takeaways & closing remarks

This podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.

A prolonged government shutdown is creating fresh challenges for the housing market—from delayed closings to missing economic data just as the Fed prepares for another potential rate cut. In this month’s market update, Ruben Gonzalez and Gabi Brennesholtz unpack the real-world impact on homebuyers, sellers, and real estate professionals. From stalled USDA loans to surprising strength in existing home sales, they break down how lower mortgage rates, supply trends, and economic uncertainty are shaping a complicated but opportunity-filled market.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How the government shutdown is delaying closings and disrupting flood insurance and USDA lending
• Why conventional and FHA loans remain largely unaffected—and what that means for buyers
• How missing data could influence the Fed’s next move and mortgage rate trends
• Why lower mortgage rates are boosting existing home sales even amid broader economic concerns
• What rising inventory and steady prices reveal about the balance between supply and demand
• How buyers and real estate professionals can take advantage of today’s “market of the moment”

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:47 Government shutdown and what it means for real estate

05:33 The Fed’s next move: Missing data and the outlook for another rate cut

08:36 Housing data recap: Rising sales, steady prices, and growing inventory

11:17 What lower rates mean for Q4 and early 2025 housing activity

13:27 Takeaways: Why now may be the right moment for buyers to act

This podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.

Despite a recent dip in mortgage rates and a slight bump in new home sales, many buyers are still sitting on the sidelines—and the uncertainty isn’t just about interest rates. In this episode, Ruben Gonzalez and Gabi Brennesholtz break down what the latest Fed decision signals, how buyer psychology is shaping demand, and why pricing trends are diverging sharply by region. With affordability improving but confidence lagging, this month’s market update is all about finding clarity in a mixed market.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why falling mortgage rates aren’t immediately translating into higher home sales
• How the Fed’s recent quarter-point rate cut and labor market concerns are influencing rate movement
• What to watch in the treasury markets for clues about where mortgage rates are headed next
• Why buyer psychology and economic uncertainty continue to limit existing home sales
• Where price trends are diverging regionally—and what it means for buyers and investors
• How investors might capitalize on year-end opportunities, including bonus depreciation

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Timestamps:

00:00 Fed rate cut recap and what it means for the economy

02:40 Why mortgage rates don’t move in lockstep with Fed decisions

04:11 How treasury markets provide clues about future rate movement

07:28 The impact of falling rates on new home sales vs. existing homes

10:44 Regional pricing trends and where affordability is improving

13:50 Year-end opportunities for investors and motivated buyers

This podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.