Windermere’s Principal Economist Jeff Tucker looks at the factors that are impacting the economy at big and your regional market.
Here are the numbers you should know this month.
$115: the cost of a barrel of oil
The very first number to know this month: $115. That was the level that the cost of a barrel of oil reached on April 7, and it occurs to be precisely double the price of oil at the start of 2026.
The war in Iran has dragged out into its second month now, and it’s continuing to trigger an energy crisis that’s rippling out through the global economy. An energy shock like this raises the costs of making and transporting practically everything, so the longer this goes on, the more inflationary discomfort it will cause this year.
178,000 tasks added
The 2nd number to know this month 178,000. That was the number of jobs added in the economy in March, which would make it the single finest month for task gains since late 2024, if it survives the typical rounds of revisions.
If we look at the pattern of the past 15 months, however, it’s pointing both towards a slowdown in job gains and increasing month-to-month volatility, as we have actually now swung between task gains and job losses for 11 months in a row. One result of this strong tasks report is that it offers further cover for the Federal Reserve to keep rate of interest cuts on hold for now– if the labor market isn’t looking too distressed, they do not require to be hurrying to the rescue.
6.5%: home loan rates
The third number to know this month: 6 and a half percent. That’s the ballpark of where 30-year home loan rates are now bouncing around, after jumping nearly half a point from multi-year lows they reached just back in late February.
The mix of greater inflation and tighter financial policy triggered by the war in Iran has actually set interest rates back up to where they were last summer season and, honestly, into the variety of where they stood last spring. This is weakening homebuyer need in what should be the hectic spring buying season, leading rather to more balanced conditions in the real estate market.
964,000 active listings
Lastly, turning to the real estate market, we saw 964,000 active listings at the end of March– somewhat more than at this time in 2020 and about 8 percent more than last year.
That 8 percent year-over-year gain essentially matches what I reported in February, bringing an end to a trend of decreasing inventory development because last Might. It’s a little early to call this a turning point, but it might be a sign that stock gains are selecting back up.
If that continues, buyers might actually see a wide variety of alternatives on the market this summertime. In the meantime, sellers ought to understand that purchasers are comparison-shopping, so it still pays to put your best foot forward, noting with a representative you trust, even in the busy spring selling season today.
Jeff Tucker is the Principal Financial Expert for Windermere Realty in Seattle, Washington. Connect with him on X or Facebook.