Author: Brad Beckett

According to the ADP National Employment Report for April, 2025, private sector employment increased by 62k jobs and annual pay was up 4.5% year-over-year. 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 25 million U.S. employees. “Unease is the word of the day. Employers are trying to reconcile policy and consumer uncertainty with a run of mostly positive economic data…It can be difficult to make hiring decisions in such an environment”  Said ADP chief economist Dr. Nela Richardson. Click here to…

The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index reported a 3.9% annual increase for February, 2025.  Their 10-City Composite increased 5.2% and their 20-City Composite increased 4.5%, year-over-year. “Even with mortgage rates remaining in the mid-6% range and affordability challenges lingering, home prices have shown notable resilience…Buyer demand has certainly cooled compared to the frenzied pace of prior years, but limited housing supply continues to underpin prices in most markets. Rather than broad declines, we are seeing a slower, more sustainable pace of price growth”   Said Nicholas Godec, CFA, CAIA, CIPM, Head of Fixed Income Tradables &…

Rental information site Zumper recently released their latest monthly National Rent Report for April, 2025.  According to their data, median rent for 1-bedroom apartments was $1517 (down 0.5%) and $1,901 (down 0.1%) for two-bedrooms. Be sure to check out their list of the top 100 metro areas. “With so much new supply coming online over the past 12 months, we’re seeing renters able to move up market…That movement frees up inventory at lower price points, creating a ripple effect of affordability. However if demand holds steady while new construction continues to taper off, we could see rents pick back up…

The National Association of Realtors is reporting that pending home sales rose 6.1% in in March, 2025. The NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index (a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings) came in at 76.5 in March. “Home buyers are acutely sensitive to even minor fluctuations in mortgage rates…While contract signings are not a guarantee of eventual closings, the solid rise in pending home sales implies a sizable build-up of potential home buyers, fueled by ongoing job growth.”  Said the NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. Click here to read the full report at the NAR.

The U.S. government is reporting that the national vacancy rates for Q1 2025 were 7.1% for rental housing and 1.1% for homeowner housing.  The national homeownership rate for Q1 2025 was 65.1%.  In addition, approximately 89.5% of the housing units in the United States in Q1 were occupied and 10.5% were vacant. Owner-occupied housing units made up 58.2% of total housing units, while renter-occupied units made up 31.2% of the inventory.  Vacant year-round units comprised 8.1% of total housing units, while 2.4% were vacant for seasonal use. Click here to read the full release at the U.S. Census Bureau.

How have state income taxes changed over the past 5 years?  Today’s graphic from the Visual Capitalist compares how state income taxes have changed between 2000 and 2025.  Stay safe, watch your wallet and have a Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to the Visual Capitalist.

A recent report on CNBC asks; Why do Americans love McMansions? These homes first appeared in America’s suburbs in the ’80s and have continued to be popular as buyers seek bigger homes with amenities. And, while they say many of these homes were built with cheap materials and a so-called poor design, home buyers continue to want them. Watch the short video below… Click here to watch the story at CNBC.

According to a recent release, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s headquarters building in Washington, D.C., is facing over $500 million in deferred maintenance and modernization needs.  In light of this, they have added the HUD headquarters building to the accelerated disposition list in order to engage the market and explore relocation options.  They say the effort aligns with the Trump Administration’s broader strategy to streamline federal operations, eliminate waste, and ensure government work-spaces reflect improved standards for performance, efficiency, and morale.  They are working with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to facilitate the process. “HUD’s focus…

On a recent episode of the Rent Perfect podcast David Pickron flips the script and invites longtime behind-the-scenes team member Kent to share his very first experience attending a REIA (Real Estate Investor Association) meeting.  This is a must-listen for for new investors, REIA members, and anyone serious about growing in real estate! “From walking into the packed AZREIA event to having “aha” moments during the market update and networking with investors, Kent explains how one evening opened his eyes to the power of connections, strategy, and local market knowledge.” Click here to listen.

According to the latest Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) Single-Family Rent Index (SFRI), U.S. single-family home rental prices increased 2.9% year over year in February, 2025. The monthly growth rate for February was 1%, which was above the average of 0.2% for February from 2004-2019, marking the second consecutive month since mid-2024 that monthly growth has been above the seasonal trend.  Rent prices for high-end properties increased 3.7% year over year in February, with low-end rent prices increasing 2% year over year in February. “Single-family rent growth strengthened in February, continuing a trend of higher annual gains. The monthly increases in the…