It’s taken me a bit of time to absorb the political events of the past two weeks. It was a challenge to think clearly about the ramifications of a Trump presidency in the first week after the election. But once the shock wore off, I started talking with my colleagues and devouring various trusted financial and real estate news sources for some clues about what we can expect in the San Francisco real estate market over the next four years.
I’ve concluded that the most direct effects a Trump presidency will have on our local market will be related to two things—interest rates and available cash for home purchases.
Interest rates are already higher due to more selling in the U.S. bond market. Rates are at four percent on the 30-year fixed product, up from 3.5%. The lending industry didn’t expect to see four percent interest rates until sometime in 2017. It’s a good time for prospective home buyers to reevaluate what you can afford based on the most current interest rates.
Whether the stock market will generate favorable returns will have everything to do with how much cash is available to home buyers. I’m expecting that the stock market will experience constant ups and downs as the new presidential administration announces its plans and initiatives throughout 2017.