211: How To Navigate A Housing Bubble

Why housing bubbles can last such a long time and what to do if you really want or need to buy a house in a frothy market. More information, including show notes, can be found here.

Episode Summary

Navigating a housing bubble is often on everyone’s minds. With changing family needs, balancing multiple incomes, and varying environmental factors, finding a great house is a struggle most families face. On this episode of Money For the Rest of Us, David responds to a listener’s question of how to navigate a housing bubble. He explains the idea of “economic gravity,” outlines factors that are influencing the global housing market, and offers solutions to the housing bubble crisis.

A housing bubble cannot break free from economic gravity

David discusses the idea of “economic gravity” on this episode. Simply, over the long-term housing prices can't be disconnected from the ability of households to service a level of mortgage debt - to successfully make those payments every month. Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedman explains, “When (corporate) earnings are exceptionally high, they don’t just keep booming - they can’t break loose from economic gravity.” The same concept applies to home prices. When prices are high, they can boom for an exceptionally long time. But they cannot break free from this underlying economic concept.

Factors that are driving up the global housing market

Housing bubbles are being created across the globe because of a few major factors. Low interest rates, offshore demand for domestic property, influxes in immigration, and interest only loans are all contributing factors to the housing bubble discussed in this episode of Money for the Rest of Us. David draws many parallels between the US housing market and those in Australia and Canada.

Housing market