Author: Brad Beckett

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…

Airbnb says with the summer travel season just around the corner, data shows that spontaneous trips and nearby travel are on the rise.  Interestingly, their data show that trips booked less than a week before travel has been the fastest growing segment over the last three years –  indicating a rise in spontaneous travel and last-minute trips.  So, where are Airbnb’s top “wishlisted” rentals in all 50 states?  Click on the map below to find out. Click here to read the full report at Airbnb.

The National Association of Realtors is reporting that existing home sales were down 5.9% in March to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million – down 2.4% year over year.  Total housing inventory at the end of March was 1.33 million units, up 8.1% from February and up 19.8% from one year ago.  Unsold inventory sits at a 4-month supply at the current sales rate with properties remaining on the market for around 36 days.  The median existing-home price for all housing types in March was $403,700. “Home buying and selling remained sluggish in March due to the affordability challenges…

The U.S. Government is reporting that sales of new single-family houses in March, 2025 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 724k, which is 7.4% higher than February’s revised rate and is 6% higher than one year ago.  The median sales price of new houses sold in March was $403,600 with an average sales price of $497,700.  There were an estimated 503k new houses for sale at the end of March representing an 8.9-month supply at the current sales rate. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.

Citing recent consumer survey data, Statista says Gmail (Google) email addresses dominate the U.S. market for email services, with Yahoo at a distant second.  Interestingly, they found AOL, despite being a symbol of a bygone era, continues to be used by 10% of Americans.  As always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to Statista.

Local Market Monitor, a National REIA preferred vendor, recently released their monthly National Economic Outlook where they share their thoughts on developments taking place in the U.S. economy. Click here for more information about Local Market Monitor.

With the help of the Pacific Legal Foundation, a title company in Texas filed a lawsuit in mid-April against the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), seeking to block a new rule requiring intrusive data collection and reporting for cash real estate purchases. “Congress cannot shirk its lawmaking responsibilities by granting federal agencies a blank check to write laws…FinCEN is now mandating unreasonable collection and reporting of personal information to the federal government; the agency claims a sweeping power to require reporting on conceivably any consumer transaction simply because systematic reporting might prove useful to the government.”  Said Luke Wake, an…

The NAR says homeowners and renters remodel, redesign, and restructure their homes for a variety of reasons. Their 2025 Remodeling Impact Report takes a deep dive into why a homeowner remodels, the outcome, and the “increased happiness” once a project is completed.  Indeed…Americans spent an estimated $603 billion in 2024 on remodeling their homes. Click here to read the full report at the NAR.