August Shivers

The 2016 mid-year update for real estate hiring on the SelectLeaders Real Estate Job Network mirrored the total U.S. Employment Reports, Conference Board Leading Economic Indicators Index, and the S&P 500 with 2016 hiring in the first two quarters higher than 2015. August is traditionally the slowest month for hiring as vacations interrupt the hiring process and decision makers are unavailable. Every September our Founder, Tony LoPinto, says, “Happy New Year,” because everyone is back at it, employers look at their remaining budgets and want to hire before the year-end. So why does this August slowdown give us the shivers? “Fortune” reports, “Consumer confidence has dipped since January, even as stocks hit records, employment climbed and indicators such as manufacturing orders and building permits rose.” It appears this year, September to November will be the deciders on how strong the economy really is in 2016, and also who will guide it through the next four years.