The unofficial end of summer is upon us, and save for a few fleeting days of volatility, it was a fruitful season for diversified investors. Even so, a few storm clouds have begun to descend, with unemployment rising and earnings revisions turning mildly negative.

Poor affordability is a large part of the story of poor home sales growth this year. But it’s not the whole story. No other segment of the U.S. economy has experienced a stranger landing than the U.S. housing market. So, let’s fly over the rainbow and explore what’s happening and how it informs our outlook.

Despite the pleas and pricing for swift action to resolve being behind the curve, it’s now more likely the Fed will move with “Slow Hands” as it begins to ease policy in September.