STOCKS: Up almost 16% over the last six months, and the rising values are dissuading investment dollars from flowing into the bond market.  As this ordinarily happens during price undulations, the absence of such volatility is cementing as it were, interest rates at current levels.

HOMES: The median home price rose 0.3% this month to +6.0% YOY.  Nationwide, that value is $419,300; in Utah, it’s $494,633.   With the warmer weather, the number of available homes on the market has risen 6.7% from last month, and 18.5% from last year at this time. Local sales volume is up 8.8%.  Homes are only spending 24 days on the market before going under contract, and the number of listings sits at a 3.5 month supply–a historically low number.

Chicken Little: Many economists are raising the red recession flag after seeing a slowdown in the leading economic indicator forecasts.  Some of these doctors of social science are going so far as to say that government agencies are doctoring data so that the reports look better than they are so as not to incite pandemonium prior to the November election.  I don’t watch cable news and I don’t buy into conspiracy theories, but I’m also not surprised when reported findings of misconduct are in hindsight brought to light.  With that in mind, I believe that we will collectively feel the recession before it’s officially pronounced by the voices behind the curtain.  Overspending on consumer credit accounts and by the Treasury is building a house of cards that will topple when the next inconvenient breeze blows hard enough.  So if you’re feeling the pinch, or worried about that wind picking up, it may be time to do a self evaluation and find ways to shore up your own foundation.