We’ve had many posts about the cost of living. Today’s graphic from the venerable Virtual Capitalist reminds us that living costs vary significantly across the United States, with some states well above or below the national average. To that end, they have visualized the overall cost of living index for all 50 states (and D.C.) using data from Q1 2026. Indeed…Stay have and have a Happy Friday!! Hat tip to the Visual Capitalist.
Author: Brad Beckett
Brad Beckett
Director of Education & Outreach, National Real Estate Investors Association
According to the latest Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI), house prices rose 2.6% between July 2025 and July 2026. House prices for July 2026 rose 0.3% compared to June. In addition, Their seasonally adjusted monthly index for June remained unchanged from June. 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 at the FHFA.
The U.S. government is reporting that total construction spending in August, 2026 was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,203.1 billion, up 0.9% from July’s revised number. In addition, August’s estimate is 1.7% lower than one year ago. Residential construction came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $882.3 billion in August, which is 1.1% higher than July’s revised estimate. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.
On a recent episode of Real Estate News for Investors, Kathy Fettke says mold is becoming a costly problem for apartment owners. Recent reports show lawsuits involving mold and habitability issues are increasing, with some jury awards reaching into the millions. Kathy breaks down the growing risk for multifamily investors, what’s driving the increase in claims, and how proactive maintenance and adequate reserves can help landlords protect their properties. Click here to listen.
According to their latest estimate, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is reporting that America’s real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.2% in Q2 2026. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
According to the ADP National Employment Report for September, 2026, private sector employment increased by 90k jobs. ADP says hiring accelerated for the first time since May, led by education and health care and leisure and hospitality. Financial activities and professional and business services showed weakness. 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. “It’s a strong report. After a three-month slowdown, job creation rebounded and pay growth remained solid.” Said ADP chief economist Dr. Nela Richardson.…
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is reporting that personal income increased $66.6 billion (0.2% at a monthly rate) in August. Disposable personal income (DPI – personal income less personal current taxes) increased $68.6 billion (0.3%), and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $190.8 billion (0.9%). Personal saving was $990.2 billion in August, and the personal saving rate (personal saving as a percentage of DPI) was 4.1%. Click here to read the full report at the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Rental information site Zumper recently released their latest monthly National Rent Report for September, 2026. According to their data, national median rent for 1-bedroom apartments was $1,518 (up 0.1%) and $1,903 (up 0.5%) for two-bedrooms. Be sure to check out their list of the 100 top metros. “There really isn’t one U.S. rental market right now…Austin is down nearly 18% while San Francisco is up more than 25%. The common denominator is supply: markets still absorbing the building boom are competing aggressively for renters, while markets that avoided it are tightening quickly” Said Zumper CEO Shawn Mullahy. Click here to…
National Fire Prevention Week runs October 4-10, 2026 and this year’s campaign “Charge Into Fire Safety™. Safe Charging Is a Superpower” focuses on the everyday charging habits that can help reduce the risk of lithium-ion battery fires and keep homes and communities safer. Plug in. Power up. Stay safe. Indeed… And, as always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! Click here to read more at the National Fire Protection Association.
Airbnb is launching a new “housing accelerator” with an initial $250 million in last-dollar financing intended to unlock more than $5 billion in housing investment, beginning with affordable housing in Austin, Texas. According to their release, the initiative will also support local zoning, permitting and building-code reforms, release new housing-policy data, and award $5 million in prizes to five organizations developing technology to make homebuilding faster, cheaper and easier. Click here to read the full story at Airbnb.
