Lisa Sturtevant

Chief Economist

Dr. Lisa Sturtevant is Chief Economist at Bright MLS — one of the country's largest MLSs, serving more than 100,000 subscribers — where she leads research and forecast activities for Bright and serves as a thought leader on the housing market.

She has been involved in research on economic, demographic and housing market issues for more than 20 years, previously serving as Chief Economist with Virginia REALTORS. She was founder and president of LSA Planning, a housing consulting firm, and has served in other research capacities at non-profit organizations and universities.

Housing Market Decoded: Why Fed cuts haven’t kept mortgage rates down
When the Fed lowers interest rates, a drop in mortgage rates often follows — but recently, the opposite has happened. Here’s why.
January 15, 2025
Housing Market Decoded: Can 2024 sales top 2023? Clock's ticking
So far, the pace of home sales has been slower this year, but the fall bump in pending sales could translate to a December rally — if mortgage rates drop.
December 3, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: Can we predict where mortgage rates are headed?
A range of competing factors are driving volatility in rates, making it harder to forecast their direction — but they're likely to decline further this year.
October 16, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: The housing deficit, and how to fix it
Housing issues have made their way into presidential politics, but federal policies are unlikely to make a dent in the undersupply in the short-term.
September 23, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: Why 'rent vs buy' misses the big picture
Lists and calculators can be a starting point for prospective buyers weighing their options, but the decision to purchase a home is based on more than data.
August 28, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: Why are home prices still rising?
High mortgage rates, which increase the cost of buying, should push prices down — right? But the relationship between rates and home prices isn’t that simple.
July 17, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: Why is inflation so sticky?
It’s all about housing, which has an outsized effect on the Consumer Price Index — and is contributing to the Fed’s lack of action on interest rates.
June 19, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: The mortgage rate 'lock-in' effect
Rates have gone up considerably in the past few years, but is the fear of losing a low-rate mortgage really keeping homeowners from selling?
May 15, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: 3 factors that could affect summer home sales
Get answers to the big questions on everyone's mind: What will happen with inventory and mortgage rates — and will the NAR settlement impact the market?
April 17, 2024
Housing Market Decoded: Fair Housing At 55
Expanding homeownership remains a crucial task, says Dr. Lisa Sturtevant, as the White-Black homeownership gap is even wider now than it was in 1970.
April 28, 2023