According to what Freddie Mac tells MHPrpNews in nationalmortgagenews, despite low wage growth this year, the housing market will reach its highest level in sales, housing starts and housing prices since 2006. It will be largely driven by interest rates that remain below four percent for a 30-year fixed rate, even given the Fed’s rate hike.

Wage growth is “’anemic, barely keeping pace with inflation,” says Freddie, and labor force participation has fallen. (MHProNews adds: In the one day since this article was published, 215,000 more jobs were added in March, and the unemployment rate rose from 4.9 percent to five percent, indicating more people were out looking to rejoin the work force.)

Freddie cautions: “If wages and incomes do not start rising, then rising interest rates, home prices and rents will squeeze households and ultimately slow housing markets.” However, a slowdown in site-built homes could be a spur for the manufactured housing industry. ##

(Image credit: fotosearch)

Article submitted by Matthew J. Silver to Daily business News-MHProNews.