Stubbornly high inflation and a Federal Reserve belatedly determined to bring it down, even if it causes a recession, pushed markets lower for the third quarter in a row.  The bear market continued, with the S&P 500 returning -4.9% in the third quarter to bring its YTD loss to -23.9%. The top performing sectors in […]

The hottest topic of 2022 that everyone can relate to or has had their own personal experience with has undoubtedly been inflation.  In August 2022, inflation prices were 8.3% higher compared to a year before according to the Consumer Price Index report.  While slower than the prior month when inflation climbed 8.5%, it’s still uncomfortably […]

Over the past 40 years, due in part to actions by the Federal Reserve, Americans have become more and more obsessed with yield.  Highlighted in Figure 1, after peaking at 15.8% in September 1981, the US 10 yr Treasury yield bottomed at 0.5% in August 2020.  As intended, the lower ‘risk-free rate’ increased demand for […]

Reviewing your financial plan during times of market volatility may often bring clarity and peace of mind. While the market may be uncomfortable to watch, many clients find that reviewing their financial plan ensures them that they are still on the path to financial success. At Chilton we begin this process by inviting individuals to […]

The dominant force in the markets this year has been uncertainty.  Uncertainty around interest rates, inflation, and a myriad of other factors have driven investors into overdrive to figure out the playbook for changing times.  REITs have not been spared from the market turbulence, but we see the long term value proposition for REITs at […]

Many of you are probably wondering the same thing – what’s been going on with mortgage rates and where are they headed? With inflation intensifying, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage has jumped from 2.78% in July 2021 to the more recent 5.54% as of July 21, 2022, according to Freddie Mac. To grasp […]

Sustained inflation and supply chain pressures exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, a fresh set of COVID lockdowns in China, and an aggressive interest rate hiking cycle from the Federal Reserve caused equity markets to plummet in the second quarter.  The S&P 500 officially entered bear market territory in June, closing 2Q with a […]

After meeting with over 25 companies in New York for the first in-person NAREIT sponsored conference since November 2019, we came away extremely positive on the fundamentals for REITs.  Across the board, leasing, occupancy, and rent growth are tracking at or above expectations, and the recent increase in interest rates has already slowed new construction, […]

Things have changed drastically over the past six weeks in the market.  Volatility has spiked, and prices have retraced back to levels not seen in 12 months.  Some have been calling for a recession as early as this year.  Seemingly, there is little ‘good’ news for long-only investors, especially in REITs.  However, we see several […]

Even before the pandemic, a sustained pattern of migration to the Sunbelt was unmistakable, driven by warmer weather, lower taxes, job growth and comparatively very affordable real estate prices (note that although Southern California is sometimes considered the Sunbelt, today’s report will treat California as distinct from the Sunbelt).  For example, according to American Counts, […]