MarketWatch: Weekly Real Estate Update for Riverdale, Bronx – 8/10/2026 – 8/17/2026
Let’s see what the market’s doing this week in the Riverdale area of the Bronx.
Did You Know?
* Compared to 2024, Britain has 35,000 fewer residents with an individual net worth of £1 million or more, the fewest since 2008 and a 7% decline in just 2 years, mostly attributed to a hostile tax climate and sluggish British economic growth. Britain imposes a top tax rate of 45% on income above $170,000 and 24% on capital gains. There’s also a 40% death tax beyond £325,000 on estates. New tax benefits for pied a terre owners were also removed, accelerating the departure of many. Do these efforts net more or less?
* Local residents and buyers in Spain and Portugal are struggling with a severe housing affordability crisis due to sky-high prices and critical supply shortages. (FT)
* Americans today spend roughly 10% of their income on food compared to roughly 13-14% in 1980. They spend roughly 5.5% of their disposable personal income on eating out today (food away from home), compared to roughly 4.2% to 4.5% in 1990. (USDA)
* Experiences instead of Assets? YOLO (You Only Live Once) and FOMO have resulted in approximately 30-50% of young adults under 30 years old spending more than $3,000 annually on travel. Can you have both, or just one? $3,000 per year invested over 10 years, compounded, could add up to a …..home downpayment, perhaps?
* The MALL is back: Malls and strip-malls are turning out to be commercial real estate strong spots for investment returns!
* Insurance payouts for a multi-million-dollar total-loss house fire are inherently slow. While initial emergency funds for temporary living expenses or quick advances can arrive in days, a full $5 million claim routinely takes 3 to 12+ months to completely settle because insurers disburse funds in stages rather than a single lump sum.
Mortgage Rate Updates:
US 30-year fixed mortgage rates edged down to 6.67% as of August 13, 2026, from 6.69% the previous week, ending a streak of five consecutive weekly increases. Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater said mortgage rates remained relatively stable, while improved housing affordability and recent increases in purchase and refinance applications suggest borrowers continue to respond to modest rate changes. A year earlier, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.58%. Meanwhile, the 15-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 5.96% from 6.01% a week earlier.
Source: Freddie Mac
