COLUMBUS—The US housing market is generally quite healthy and has little chance of a downturn in the near future, according to a study just published by Nationwide, an insurance and financial services organization. Each quarter the Columbus-based firm evaluates the housing market for the entire US and about 400 separate metro areas.
However, its researchers do not just chart the rise of housing prices and the increase in the number of sales. Instead, they want to show which markets will likely enjoy overall health and which are in danger of either weakening or overheating.
“Sometimes strong housing prices are good, but other times this can go too far and impact affordability,” Ben Ayers, senior economist with Nationwide, tells GlobeSt.com. “We call this the Goldilocks index because we're measuring whether it's too hot or too cold and the likelihood of sustainable growth for the entire housing market.”
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Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
