In this edition of The Real Word, Bryon Lazine and Nicole White discuss United Van Lines’ Movers Study, Fannie Mae’s market predictions and The Wall Street Journal’s wallpaper recommendations.
Byron Lazine and Nicole White are two agents in Connecticut who give us their thoughts on the week’s news every Friday in “The Real Word,” a weekly video column on Inman.
United Van Lines just published its 45th National Movers Study. It indicates that Americans have been moving to lower-density areas and to areas that are closer to their families. Vermont is the state with the highest percentage of inbound migration with 74 percent, according to the study. Topping the list of outbound locations was New Jersey at 71 percent. “Look at the state you’re in and flip this data, and get a ton of information” for video content, Byron said.
The study’s interactive map includes reasons for moving plus demographic information and provides prior year data to compare trends. Byron recommended looking ahead to inventory levels in 2030 for markets that are currently filled with baby boomers and retirees that may see population shifts over the next 10 years.
Next up, Byron and Nicole discussed the Fannie Mae forecast that predicts many homeowners will be priced out of the market in 2022. They’re projecting fewer sales of existing homes, falling from 6.91 million in 2021 to 6.83 million in 2022.
“If you’re paying attention, in the last couple of weeks you’ll see that rates have definitely gone up,” Byron said. Byron believes that with the volatility we’ve seen recently, the Mortgage Banker Association’s projected numbers, which show a steeper increase in mortgage rates, are more accurate than Fannie Mae’s numbers.
Marketeer of the week
For this week’s marketeer, The Wall Street Journal is talking about wallpaper — specifically wallpapering closets. According to Washington, D.C., interior designer Jewel Marlowe, “The smaller the space, the better the opportunity to make a statement.”
Want to nominate a “marketeer of the week”? Drop your thoughts in the comments section below, or shoot us an email.