| By now, you’ve likely run across a headline regarding the large inflation jump we’ve experienced over the past six months. Even if you haven’t, you’ve probably noticed a general increase in prices for things like gas and food over the past couple of months. The last significant long-term inflationary period was in the 1970s when inflation expectations created a feedback loop largely because unions were common and had more bargaining power. As prices rose, union workers demanded higher pay, which increased operating costs and fueled rising prices. But 2020-21 is quite different from the 1970s. Currently, companies are using inflation as a mostly bad-faith excuse to raise prices during a time of record corporate profits, which will benefit companies as consumers bear the burden of rising costs. This is likely the unfortunate feedback loop we will see during the next six months. All that to say, as consumer costs rise, we might see demand for housing decline. With fewer experiences to spend money on during the pandemic, savings shot up, allowing potential homebuyers to reach their down payment goals far more quickly than expected. Inflation will cut into our ability to save.
Unlike a normal business cycle, the pandemic is still disrupting the global supply chain, with fewer dock/port workers and truck drivers as well as continued international travel restrictions. This is compounded by the pandemic-related shifts in consumer preferences: consumers are choosing physical goods rather than services. The demand for physical goods isn’t unique to the U.S., either — the whole world is trying to recover economically with a move toward physical goods, which is stressing the supply chain. The good news, however, is that inflation will likely fall around summer 2022 and shouldn’t mimic the decade-long inflationary period of the 1970s. The bad news is that it isn’t coming down today.
Although not necessarily a strict supply chain issue, the rising cost of housing can definitely be tied to supply. In the U.S., the supply of houses for sale is still near the all-time low reached in April. At the same time, demand remains high for homes, and we are on pace to have around a million more homes sold in 2021 than in a typical year, based on the long-term average. In other words, more homes are selling despite the historically low inventory. Because inflation diminishes the purchasing power of a dollar over time, buyers face pressure to buy sooner rather than later, further increasing demand for homes. Coupling inflation with historically low mortgage rates creates incentives to buy now even with the run-up in prices.
The market remains competitive for buyers, but conditions are making it an exceptional time for homeowners to sell. Low inventory means sellers will receive multiple offers with fewer concessions. Because sellers are often selling one home and buying another, it’s essential that sellers work with the right agent to ensure the transition goes smoothly. |
