John Cassels

The South Is the Strongest Housing Market in America. So Why Is Everyone in the East Valley Complaining?

Gilbert, Arizona  |  East Valley Housing Market Market Intelligence  |  East Valley AZ NAR just released pending home sales data and the South region scored a 91.2 out of 100. That is the best grade in the country. Yet the loudest complaints about a dead market are coming from right here

44% of Home Insurance Claims Pay Out Nothing. Here Is What That Number Actually Means

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE HOMEOWNER INTELLIGENCE June 2026 5 min read A Wall Street Journal investigation published May 30, 2026 found that the five largest home insurance companies in the United States paid nothing on approximately 44% of homeowner claims last year. That number has risen from 36% a

You Need 98,000 to Retire Comfortably. East Valley Home Equity Changes That Calculation

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE RETIREMENT INTELLIGENCE June 2026 5 min read Americans told Northwestern Mutual's 2026 Planning and Progress Study they believe they need .5 million to retire comfortably. A new Investopedia analysis of federal data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Social

92% of Veterans Know About the VA Loan. Here Is What Only 32% of Them Actually Know

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE VETERAN INTELLIGENCE November 2025 5 min read In October 2025, Navy Federal Credit Union released its first-ever Spotlight on VA Loans report: a nationwide survey of more than 1,000 active-duty servicemembers and veterans between the ages of 18 and 60. The headline

Veterans Left 8 Billion in VA Home Loan Benefits Unclaimed. Here Is the Real Cost

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE VETERAN BENEFIT ALERT May 2026 5 min read A comprehensive analysis by Veterans United Home Loans, published in October 2025 and covered by Rolling Out, Newsweek, and Military.com in May 2026, found that 58,000 VA home loans went unclaimed in 2024 alone. Those

35% of Buyers Regret Their Home Purchase. Here Is What They Missed

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE BUYER EDUCATION May 2026 5 min read An estimated 35% of American homebuyers regret their purchase, according to Finance Monthly's 2026 analysis of the US housing market. The most common reasons: unexpected maintenance costs they did not see coming and location choices that

Sellers Are Playing Ball. This Is the Most Buyer-Friendly Spring in 4 Years

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE BUYER OPPORTUNITY May 2026 5 min read Every headwind that typically freezes a housing market hit at once this spring: mortgage rates climbed to a nine-month high, inflation held above 3%, consumer sentiment dropped, and geopolitical uncertainty rattled financial markets. Realtor.com senior economist

The Delinquency Headlines Are Scary. Here Is What They Are Not Telling You

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE CREDIT INTELLIGENCE May 2026 5 min read Credit card and auto loan 90-day delinquencies have reached levels last seen around 2008 and 2010. Social media economists are circulating the charts. The headlines are alarming. HousingWire lead analyst Logan Mohtashami addressed this directly in his

Canadian Buyers Ranked Phoenix Their Third-Favorite US Market. The East Valley Is Why

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE MARKET INTELLIGENCE May 2026 5 min read This is what 66.9% of Phoenix's international home-shopping demand is looking for. Single story. Tile roof. Desert landscaping. Blue Arizona sky in February. New data from Realtor.com, published May 30, 2026, confirms what

1,000 Americans Become Millionaires Every Day. Most of Them Own a Home

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE WEALTH INTELLIGENCE May 2026 5 min read According to the UBS Global Wealth Report, approximately 1,000 Americans crossed into millionaire status every single day in 2024. There are now 24 million millionaires in the United States, representing 41% of all millionaires globally despite the

The Iran Deal Changed Rates. The Fine Print Matters More.

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE RATE INTELLIGENCE May 2026 5 min read A US-Iran peace deal is materializing. Bond markets reacted immediately. The 10-year Treasury yield pulled back from its conflict highs. East Valley buyers watching financing costs are asking the right question: does this mean rates are

Move in With Mom. The Data Finally Proves It's Brilliant

TEAM CASSELS | EAST VALLEY MORTGAGE FAMILY STRATEGY May 2026 5 min read Multigenerational homes, properties with in-law suites, granny flats, guest houses, or attached casitas, now sell for a median of 09,000, about 65% above typical listings. They attract 13.5% more views. They command 62 per square