The REconomy Podcast

Hosted by First American

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

First American’s economic podcast examining the forces that influence real estate, housing and affordability, featuring First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming, Ph.D. and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 10, 2026Episode 15115 min

How the Housing and Real Estate Conversation Has Evolved Over 150 Episodes - EP 150

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Principal Commercial Real Estate Economist Xander Snyder commemorate reaching the 150th episode mark by examining how the real estate market has evolved since the inception of the podcast in 2021, highlighting key trends that have shaped the market dynamics present today. The conversation traces the arc from pandemic recovery through rising inflation and corresponding interest rate shocks to the rise of AI and data centers. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

August 27, 2026Episode 15013 min

The Slow-Motion Shift That Will Reshape the Housing Market - EP 149

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi examine the slow-moving demographic forces reshaping housing demand, supply and transaction activity. The conversation unpacks the great housing handoff from baby boomers to millennials and Gen Z, explains the growing population of ‘shadow homeowners’ lurking just one or two moves away from a purchase, and details why turnover of existing homes may matter more than net household growth to the future of the housing market. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

August 13, 2026Episode 14916 min

Are Rising Foreclosures a Concern for the Housing Market? - EP 148

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi examine rising foreclosure data and help put the latest numbers into perspective. They breakdown where mortgage stress is concentrated, why today’s market differs from the Great Financial Crisis, and the key conditions that could turn financial distress into foreclosure. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

July 30, 2026Episode 14815 min

CRE Mid-Year Outlook: The Great Repricing Is Mostly Over. Now What? - EP 147

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi and Principal Commercial Real Estate Economist Xander Snyder examine the commercial real estate market at the midpoint of 2026. The conversation explains why price discovery appears mostly behind us, why demand from consumers and businesses is the next major test for the recovery, and what investors waiting for perfect clarity may already be missing. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

July 16, 2026Episode 14713 min

2026 Mid-Year Outlook: What to Expect from the Housing Market for the Rest of the Year - EP 146

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi revisit their 2026 outlook and discuss where the housing market is headed in the second half of the year. The conversation unpacks why stability in a volatile year represents real progress, how nearly five million missing home sales represent demand deferred rather than demand destroyed, and what the slower-moving dynamics of jobs, incomes, demographics and supply signal about what’s ahead. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

July 1, 2026Episode 14614 min

The Overlooked Infrastructure Underpinning America’s $5 Trillion Real Estate Economy - EP 145

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi explore the often-overlooked infrastructure that makes America's $5 trillion real estate economy1 possible: private property rights and property records. The conversation explains how private property rights fuel wealth creation and economic growth, how title insurance emerged from the need to protect those rights and why property records qualify as critical economic infrastructure — all in honor of America's 250th anniversary and the enduring legacy of Kurt Pfotenhauer, First American Title's former vice chairman. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today . 1 The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), using data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), reported that housing's share of U.S. GDP was approximately 16.1% in 2024, equivalent to roughly $4.7–$5.0 trillion annually based on U.S. GDP.

June 18, 2026Episode 14512 min

Data Center Demand, it’s Not Just an AI Story - EP 144

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi and Principal Commercial Economist Xander Snyder examine the seemingly endless demand for data centers and explain why the story is more nuanced than the headlines suggest. The conversation breaks down why vacancy rates near record lows and surging pre-leasing activity reflect a demand base that extends well beyond AI, and highlights the real bottleneck to new data center supply. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

June 4, 2026Episode 14414 min

Four Million Missing Home Sales: The Hidden Scale of America's Pent-Up Housing Demand - EP 143

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi mark National Homeownership Month by examining whether America's enduring appetite for homeownership can overcome the most affordability-challenged era in decades. Their conversation explains what the long-run increase in the share of 25-to-34 year olds living with their parents means for homeownership demand, why the housing market is short more than four million sales since the pandemic, and why the demographic case for future housing demand remains firmly intact. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

May 21, 2026Episode 14315 min

Is This the End of the ‘Extend and Pretend’ Era? - EP 142

In this episode of the REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Senior Commercial Real Estate Economist Xander Snyder examine whether the commercial real estate maturity wall has reached a turning point. The conversation unpacks why both borrowers and lenders are pursuing fewer loan extensions, how investor lenders and banks differ in their approach to loan extensions, and what "resolution" really means in a CRE market where distress has diminished, but hasn't disappeared. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .

May 7, 2026Episode 14214 min

Tracing Housing Affordability Across Generations – Who Had It Worse? - EP 141

In this episode of The REconomy Podcast™, Chief Economist Mark Fleming and Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi tackle a common misconception that housing has never been more unaffordable. Sharing the results from their proprietary analysis, they explain how tracking nominal house prices alone fails to capture the impact of shifts in house-buying power. Their conversation highlights how affordability has changed over generations and identifies which generation faced the steepest affordability challenges. Don’t miss a single REconomy episode, subscribe today .