It’s interesting to see how consumer confidence in the US has shifted this mid-Q3. While folks feel a bit better about their present situation (the present-conditions index climbed around 7 points to 121), the outlook for income, business, and jobs over the coming months has dimmed—with the expectations gauge dropping about 6 points to 68, a level that’s often linked with recession concerns. Early in the quarter, we saw employers cut 23,000 jobs and unemployment tick up to nearly 4%, mostly because more people stepped away from the labor force—not due to a hiring surge. Despite this dip in optimism, expectations around buying a home have only softened slightly, and demand is still on the rise. Roughly 61% of people still expect interest rates to head higher. With federal policymakers keeping rates steady and little relief expected soon, it looks like borrowing costs will stay up as we head toward year-end. As someone who’s guided clients through all kinds of markets across Greater Boca Raton and Delray Beach, I know how these shifts can feel daunting. My focus remains on keeping clients fully informed, so you can make confident decisions—no matter what the headlines say.
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