Author: Brad Beckett

Friday, September 11, 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the Al Qaeda terrorist attacks on our nation back in 2001. Today’s infographic provides a brief overview of the events of that tragic day, honoring those who lost their lives and ensuring that their memories (and the lessons of September 11, 2001) are never forgotten… As always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday! “On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin…

Rental information site Zumper recently released their latest monthly National Rent Report for August, 2026.  According to their data, national median rent for 1-bedroom apartments was $1,515 (down 0.1%) and $1,907 (up 0.5%) for two-bedrooms.  Be sure to check out their list of the 100 top metros. “The national numbers are starting to look more constructive, but I still wouldn’t call this a broad recovery…Supply remains the dividing line. Markets that worked through their inventory are beginning to tighten, while places that absorbed enormous amounts of new construction are still giving renters meaningful leverage. What’s changed is that the supply…

A recent report from WalletHub says whether you’re in the real estate business or just looking for a place to call home, it’s important to get a handle on the housing markets you’re considering before investing in a property.  Indeed…with that in mind they looked at 300+ cities of varying sizes using 17 key metrics ranging from median home-price appreciation to housing affordability to job growth.  Be sure to check out their entire list which includes interesting some data about each city. “If you aim to make a profit in the long run with your housing purchase, you’ll need to…

On a recent episode of the Real Estate Investing for Life podcast, Jonna Weber says real estate investing can feel like a solo journey, however she has learned that the right community can make all the difference.  In this episode, she shares why surrounding yourself with the right people can dramatically shorten your learning curve, create new opportunities, and help you build wealth with greater confidence. “Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been investing for years, community provides more than education. It offers support, accountability, meaningful relationships, and the encouragement to keep moving forward through every season.” Click here…

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is reporting that personal income increased $115.1 billion (0.4% at a monthly rate) in July.  Disposable personal income (DPI – personal income less personal current taxes) increased $125.9 billion (0.5%), and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $36.3 billion (0.2%).  Personal saving was $712 billion in July, and the personal saving rate (personal saving as a percentage of DPI) was 3%. Click here to read the full report at the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

According to the ADP National Employment Report for August, 2026, private sector employment increased by 38k jobs.   ADP says private employers posted their slowest pace of job creation since January with manufacturing, professional services, and information shedding jobs.  However, education, health care, construction, leisure and hospitality all showed solid hiring.  The ADP National Employment Report is an independent and high-frequency view of the private-sector labor market based on the aggregated and anonymized payroll data of more than 26 million U.S. employees. “Pay can tell us a lot about today’s choppy hiring. To understand hiring patterns, you have to look deeply…

According to the latest Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI), house prices rose 2.1% between second quarter of 2025 and Q2 of 2026.  House prices for the second quarter of 2026 rose 0.3% compared Q1 of 2026. In addition, Their seasonally adjusted monthly index for June remained unchanged from May.  The FHFA HPI is the nation’s only collection of public, freely available house price indexes that measure changes in single-family home values based on data from all 50 states and over 400 American cities that extend back to the mid-1970s. Click here to read the full report…

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 162k in August, 2026 with the unemployment unchanged 4.1%.  In addition, the report says employment increased in food services and drinking places and in local government education while the information industry lost jobs. Click here to read the full report at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The U.S. government is reporting that total construction spending in July, 2026 was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,157.6 billion, down 0.5% from June’s revised number.  In addition, July’s estimate is 3.8% lower than one year ago.  Residential construction came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $859 billion in July, which is 1.3% lower than June’s revised estimate. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.

This Monday, September 7th is Labor Day.  The annual 3-day  weekend marks the unofficial end of Summer and ushers in the cool Fall season – although Fall doesn’t officially begin until September 22nd.  Today’s graphic lays out some Labor Day facts with come current statistics.  As always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday and Labor Day weekend!!!