
Everything you need to know about housing economics but were afraid to ask
From Power House by HousingWire
June 2, 2026 · 24 min
About this episode
Zeb Lowe provides an overview of housing economics for industry professionals, emphasizing the importance of market fluency and debunking common myths.
In this solo Power House episode, Zeb Lowe delivers an overview of housing economics built specifically for the professionals working inside the industry every day. Framing the conversation around a simple idea — that housing professionals are expected to be experts without ever being formally taught how the market truly works — Zeb breaks down the core economic concepts that separate good operators from elite ones. The episode spends significant time on the psychology driving today’s market, particularly the way buyers remain anchored to pandemic-era 3% mortgage rates that were never historically normal. Zeb explains why professionals who can contextualize the market (rather than simply repeat headlines) become indispensable advisors to clients navigating uncertainty. He also pushes back on some of the industry’s most persistent myths, including the inevitability of another 2008-style crash, the belief that buyers need 20% down, and the assumption that waiting for lower rates will automatically create better affordability. Throughout the episode, the central theme remains clear: America’s housing shortage is still the defining force shaping affordability, pricing and transaction…
People in this episode
Host: Zeb Lowe
Topics covered
- housing economics
- market psychology
- mortgage rates
- affordability
- housing shortage
- real estate industry
Keywords
- housing market
- economic concepts
- pandemic mortgage rates
- 2008 crash myth
- local data
- behavioral trends
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: HousingWire
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