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The industry is mourning the death of a longtime mortgage and housing economist who was known both for his straightforward forecasts and analyses and his signature bow-ties. Frank Nothaft, chief economist with CoreLogic and an economist for Freddie Mac for nearly three decades, passed away suddenly on Sunday. He was 66 years old.
“He was a prodigious purveyor of data, the go-to expert for trends and forecasting and a trusted colleague and friend to many at CoreLogic and the broader housing industry,” CoreLogic said in a statement. “Dr. Nothaft was a brilliant spokesperson and brand ambassador. … We will miss Frank and his great talents, warmth, integrity, and friendship.”
Nothaft led the economics team at CoreLogic since 2015, providing analysis, commentary, and forecasting trends on the global real estate and mortgage markets. Before joining CoreLogic, Nothaft spent more than 25 years as the vice president and chief economist at mortgage financing giant Freddie Mac. He was a frequent speaker on real estate and mortgage session panels at trade association conferences and a go-to source for major media networks, including CNBC, Bloomberg News, and The Wall Street Journal among others, for providing commentary on the mortgage markets.
“For decades, Frank has been a key voice for the mortgage industry—at Freddie Mac and then at CoreLogic,” said Mike Fratantoni, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association. “He was the best housing market analyst in the business, able to clearly and concisely convey information that helped our industry understand the current market and make decisions to prepare for the future. Frank had an inimitable style, both in terms of his presentations and his ever-present bow tie. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Nothaft served in multiple roles on boards and associations throughout his career, including as president of the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, advisory board member of the Real Estate Research Institute, chairman of the Real Estate Roundtable for the National Association of Business Economics, and editorial board member of the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, among other positions.