On a recent episode of the Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor Podcast, Brian Hamrick talks with Clay Lehman, a longtime investor, property-management expert, and AI educator who helps entrepreneurs and agents use today’s tools to save time, make better decisions, and grow their business. “Artificial intelligence is transforming every corner of real estate—from how we analyze deals to how we manage tenants, leads, and operations. But most investors still don’t know where to start.” Click here to listen.
Author: Brad Beckett
Brad Beckett
Director of Education & Outreach, National Real Estate Investors Association
According to ATTOM Data’s Year-End 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, there were 367,460 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings (default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions) – representing 0.26% of all U.S. housing units, up 14% from 2024 and up 3% from 2023. In addition, new data for December 2025, showed there were 44,990 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings, up 26% from the previous month and up 57% from a year ago. As for REOs; ATTOM says lenders repossessed 46,439 properties through foreclosures (REO) in 2025, up 27% from 2024 but down 68% from 143,955 in 2019, the last full year…
The U.S. government is reporting that total construction spending in October, 2025 was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,127.3 billion, up 0.5% from September’s revised number. In addition, October’s estimate is 1% lower than one year ago. Residential construction came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $913.8 billion in October, which is 1.3% higher than September’s revised estimate. ** Editor’s Note – post-gov’t shutdown numbers are starting to roll in, albeit late. ** Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.
The acting director of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently requested $145 million from the Federal Reserve to fund the bureau’s second-quarter operations. As reported by the Scotsman Guide, this action in compliance with a federal judge’s recent court order that said the bureau must remain funded as legal battles over its survival continue. “Although I disagree with that opinion and order,” wrote Vought in the Jan. 9 letter addressed to the chairman of the U.S. central bank, Jerome Powell, “pursuant to that opinion and order, I have determined that [$145 million] is the amount necessary to carry out…
The National Association of Realtors is reporting that pending home sales dropped 9.3% in December, 2025 and were down 3% year over year. The NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index (a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings) came in at 71.8 in December. They say we’re not out of the proverbial woods, yet: “The housing sector is not out of the woods yet…After several months of encouraging signs in pending contracts and closed sales, the December new contract figures have dampened the short-term outlook.” Said the NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun. Click here to read the full report at the NAR.…
Recently we posted United Van Lines and Atlas Van Lines migration and moving reports, both full of useful information about where people are moving to and from. Now it’s time for U-Haul’s annual report of their top U.S. metros & cities. According to their 2025 U-Haul annual Growth Index, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metroplex once again takes top honors as the No. 1 U-Haul growth metro, replicating its 2024 honor with the greatest net gain of their one-way customers during 2025. In addition, the city proper of Ocala, Fla., retains the title of #1 U-Haul growth city, a distinction it also…
We have had a few posts recently about where Americans are moving to and from. Today’s graphic from the MovingPlace pulls data from several sources to illustrate the top zip codes where renters can afford to move & buy their own homes….Indeed….Stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to the MovingPlace.com
According to the latest Yardi Matrix Multifamily Report, multifamily rents slipped in December, 2025 with the average U.S. advertised rent dropping $5 to $1,737 and year-over-year rent growth came in at 0%. Yardi says years without growth are rare – with the last one being the 2020 pandemic year. However, they do expect modest increases in 2026. “Looking ahead, despite ongoing economic uncertainty, stronger GDP growth in the fourth quarter points to improving momentum. Greater stability in 2026 could help lift consumer confidence and support a gradual rebound in rental demand.” Click here to read the full report at Yardi.…
A recent Daily-Download chart from HousingWire shows us a snapshot of the national single family inventory. Notice the current 2026 line on the top left side.
A recent report by CNBC’s Diana Olick says while the U.S. housing market has yet to pick up steam, real estate agents say there’s been a real shift toward a more balanced market. The data comes from CNBC’s Q4 2025 Quarterly Housing Market Survey. Some key points: Of the real estate agents surveyed, 37.5% said it was a balanced market. More agents reported having at least one seller cut their price in Q4. When asked how affordability is impacting their buyers, agents said fewer buyers left the market in the fourth quarter than in the prior period, and fewer delayed…
