Can the Federal Reserve save the housing market?
Whether or not it cuts rates, the Fed may not be able to reset the market.
4 min read
Sep 11, 2025
Rick Sharga
Bankrate Expert Contributor, Mortgages and Real Estate
EXPERTISE
- Homebuying
- Housing market
- Home affordability
- Property taxes
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Meet our expertsAbout Rick
Rick is the Founder & CEO of CJ Patrick Company, a market intelligence firm for companies in the real estate and mortgage industries. An acknowledged subject matter expert on the housing economy, Rick has been one of the country’s most frequently quoted sources on the U.S. economy, real estate, mortgage and foreclosure trends for the past 25 years, and has appeared on ABC, Bloomberg, CBS, CNBC, CNN, Fox, NBC, and NPR, and been featured in dozens of print and online media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Yahoo! Finance, and HousingWire.
Rick has over 40 years of experience in the real estate, mortgage, and technology industries, including roles as the EVP/Market Intelligence at ATTOM Data, EVP for Carrington Mortgage Holdings, EVP of Marketing at RealtyTrac, and Chief Marketing Officer of Ten-X and Auction.com. During his career Rick has briefed government entities such as the Federal Reserve Bank and Senate Banking Committee on industry trends. Rick also hosts and organizes the Executive Roundtable for Mortgage Finance, a twice-yearly, invitation-only event attended by a select group of senior executives from across the mortgage industry.
A founding member of the Five Star National Mortgage Servicing Association, Rick is currently on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Default Professionals and has served as a board member of the Asian American Real Estate Association and the Corporate Board of Governors of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Rick was honored as an Industry Luminary in 2023 by RIS Media for his “unique ability to serve as the go-to source for housing market insight,” and was twice named to the Inman 100, an annual list of the most influential real estate leaders published by Inman News.
Rick beyond Bankrate
Rick's latest articles
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Why rising repair costs are making home affordability even worse
The costs of home repairs and remodeling projects have skyrocketed in recent years.
4 min read Aug 19, 2025 -
Widespread exposure vs. quiet exclusivity: The controversy around private listings
Why wouldn’t an agent want to market listings to the biggest audience possible?
6 min read Aug 07, 2025 -
Don’t have $80K lying around for a down payment? Help is available — if you know where to look
Many programs are available to help homebuyers save enough for a down payment.
5 min read Jul 21, 2025 -
Real estate investors: Housing market boon or bane?
A deeper look at large real estate investors and their impact on the housing market.
5 min read Jul 08, 2025 -
“My biggest fear is a repeat of 2008”: Experts weigh in on the Fannie Mae-Freddie Mac conservatorship
Our expert’s analysis of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conservatorship debate.
6 min read Jun 24, 2025 -
Can you afford to buy a home? Can anyone?
Home prices in the U.S. have been getting less and less affordable. Is there hope?
4 min read Jun 05, 2025 -
How much is your home really worth? The ‘black magic’ of home valuation
This expert breakdown of how a home’s value is determined can help both homebuyers and sellers.
5 min read May 23, 2025