Author: Brad Beckett

The U.S. government is reporting that privately‐owned housing starts in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,186,000, which is 17.3% higher than May’s revised number.  June’s rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 350k.  Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,241,000, which was 2.1% higher than May’s revised number.  Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 368k in June. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.

As an avid reader of this site, you have undoubtedly seen any one of our many posts about cyber security.  Today’s infographic from Statista shares the most common passwords in use, as revealed by leaks from hackers.  Password security is one of the most basic and fundamental things you can do to keep from being a victim of cyber-crime.  In fact, as Statista rightly points out, “using an easy to remember password doesn’t seem like a big deal until finding out that a popular hacking method actually uses a bot to try out a number of common passwords until one…

According to a recent survey from RentCafé, the Coronavirus pandemic has dashed the plans of those renters planning to transition to homeownership this year.  They report that in early 2020, 11% of renters said they were ready and planning to buy a home this year.  However, the path to homeownership for 43% of those renters ready to buy has now changed due to the pandemic.  Breaking down that group, most changed their plans because of economic uncertainty, followed by loss of income.  The survey, which ran at the end of May, asked 7k renters about their housing plans before and…

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6% in June.  In addition, the gasoline index’s rise accounted for over half of the monthly increase in the seasonally adjusted all items index. “The all items index increased 0.6 percent for the 12 months ending June; this compares to a 0.1-percent increase for the 12 months ending May. The index for all items less food and energy increased 1.2 percent over the last 12 months. The food index increased 4.5 percent over the last 12 months, with the index for…

Is American becoming a renter nation?  A recent article by the Wall Street Journal (reposted on Realtor.com) takes an deep-dive into the empire created by billionaire B. Wayne Hughes and how his American Homes 4 Rent has altered the landscape of homeownership in America.  According to the article, during the previous housing crisis, Hughes went to Las Vegas & Phoenix to begin his plan of buying foreclosed homes to fix up and rent.  Now fast-forward to the present and the WSJ says his “land grab” has paid off as the “economic downturn, the rising unaffordability of homeownership and a global…

You could say that sales taxes are the form of taxation that truly affects every person – it’s the classic consumption tax.  It is also the one politicians often reach for first to ratchet-up to fund their next project du jour. That being said, the folks over at the Tax Foundation recently put together some numbers showing combined sales tax rates (state & local where applicable) for each state.  Interestingly, there are four states that do not have a state sales tax and there are some with a sales tax but no income tax. Indeed… Click here to read the…

With the pandemic and it’s social distancing still affecting our country, the folks over at Realtor.com crunched the numbers to find the best places to enjoy indoor-outdoor living.  And, if you’re like most Americans and have had to put off that vacation, living someplace that allows for a great “staycation” is just the ticket.  In addition, they report that a recent survey even said 79% of U.S. homebuyers ranked outdoor space as the #1 priority for their first home.  Indeed… “In the age of COVID-19 and seemingly endless sheltering in place, finding a home that has plenty of land and…

What housing markets have been the hardest hit by the pandemic?  CNBC’s Squawk Box spoke with Bankrate.com’s Jeff Ostrowski about which areas have been the hardest hit and which have fared the best.  In particular, Ostrowski discussed his Housing Hardship index which combines mortgage delinquencies with unemployment rates in each state.  This  score determine which states are suffering the most. Click here to watch on CNBC.com.

Redfin says they’ve seen an 8.2% drop in pending sales growth which they say could be from subsiding pent-up demand (from March & April) or the ongoing lack of inventory.  In fact, they point that new listings were down 8.3% (even though interest rates are at record-lows) leaving buyers with a very limited selection of homes to choose from.  This, combined with the recent increase in Covid-19 cases, leaves a lot to be determined going into mid-Summer.  Indeed… “The two big questions for the housing market are whether sellers will begin to come back in force, and whether homebuyers will…

The folks over at WalletHub remind us that no one likes Tax Day, except for maybe accountants and Uncle Sam.  Well, they’re probably right…..And with Tax day coming up on Wednesday, July 15th, today’s infographic has a nice little breakdown of the red, white, blue and green. Happy Friday!!! Source: WalletHub Hat tip to WalletHub.