Construction Costs, AI’s Effect on Mortgage Rates, and Deed Theft

In this episode of the Mortgage Research Network Podcast, host Tim Lucas breaks down three very different forces affecting today’s housing market. First, why has it become so expensive to build new homes? Tim looks at research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and NYU’s Furman Center showing how rising material costs, skilled-labor shortages, difficult building sites, financing costs, and regulatory requirements can make adding new housing supply far more complicated than simply finding land and starting construction.Then, Tim explores an unexpected question: could the enormous amount of money being invested in artificial intelligence put upward pressure on mortgage rates? AI companies are spending trillions of dollars on data centers, semiconductors, power infrastructure, and other projects, with some of that investment financed through corporate bonds. That means corporate borrowers are competing for investor capital alongside the U.S. Treasury and mortgage-backed securities. Tim explains how that competition can affect bond yields, why some economists think AI could eventually help push rates lower, and why the timing is anything but certain.Finally, the episode turns to deed theft. Tim explains how fraudulent deeds can enter public records, why vacant and non-owner-occupied properties tend to be more vulnerable, and what homeowners can do to protect themselves. One particularly useful step is checking whether your local recorder or clerk offers a free property-recording alert service, which can notify you when a new deed, mortgage, lien, or other document is filed under your name or property.Subscribe for more mortgage news, housing news, homebuyer tips, and real estate market updates.Which of these three stories surprised you most: rising construction costs, AI’s connection to mortgage rates, or the way deed theft works? Let us know in the comments.Connect with Mortgage Research Network:YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MortgageResearchNetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mortgageresearchnetwork/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mtgresearchnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MortgageResearch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠First Time Homebuyer Cheat Sheet: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4w8CiVM⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebuyer Calculators: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4n0hDPv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with a lender: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/426Gyaw------0:00 – Intro0:53 – Why New Homes Cost So Much2:28 – Skilled Labor Is Adding to Construction Costs3:13 – Why Financing Makes New Housing More Expensive5:04 – Can Construction Costs Come Down?6:04 – How AI Could Affect Mortgage Rates7:09 – Corporate Bonds Join the Competition for Investor Money8:49 – Could AI Eventually Push Interest Rates Lower?9:28 – Why the Timing of an AI Rate Drop Is Uncertain12:04 – How Deed Theft Works13:55 – How Common Is Deed Theft, and Who Gets Targeted?15:04 – How Homeowners Can Protect Themselves16:07 – Strange Mail, Suspicious Documents, and Other Warning Signs16:32 – What to Do If You Find a Fraudulent Filing17:07 – Final Takeaway------#MortgageRates #HousingMarket #DeedTheft