Author: Brad Beckett

Director of Education & Outreach, National Real Estate Investors Association

We have had several posts over the years about renting versus buying.  Today’s graphic from Statista takes a look at recent data from Gallup to illustrate the reasons people choose to rent, versus buying a home.  Their number one reason?  Money…..   As always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! For many people, owning a home still marks the first step towards financial independence, as real estate is considered one of the best long-term investments. Hat tip to Statista.

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According to the ADP National Employment Report for May, 2025, private sector employment increased by 37k 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. “After a strong start to the year, hiring is losing momentum. Pay growth, however, was little changed in May, holding at robust levels for both job-stayers and job-changers.”  Said ADP chief economist Dr. Nela Richardson. Click here to read the full report at ADP.

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A recent report from Redin says investor purchases of condos fell 3% year over year to the lowest level in 10 years, driven largely by investors retreating from Florida.  They say fewer condos are being bought because the condo market is slowing faster than the overall housing market, with buyers concerned condos will lose value.  Redfin says nearly seven in 10 (68%) U.S. condos sold below list price at the start of 2025 – the lowest share in five years. Florida’s stagnant condo market is one reason investor purchases of condos are down nationwide. Florida condos are struggling largely because…

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According to ATTOM Data’s Q2 2025 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report, there were nearly 1.4 million residential properties (1,382,480) in the U.S. sitting vacant in Q2, 2025. That figure represents 1.3% of all homes across the nation – roughly the same as Q1.  ATTOM also says there were 222,358 residential properties in the process of foreclosure in Q2 2025, up 4.8% from the Q1 2025 and down 6.3% fyear-over-year.   In addition, they report there were around 7,329 of those pre-foreclosure properties, 3.3%, were “zombie” properties, meaning they had been abandoned by their owners and sat vacant during the foreclosure…

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Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau says cities of all sizes grew on average from 2023 to 2024 with Southern & Western cities experiencing accelerated growth.  Across the country, cities with populations fewer than 5k grew by 0.3% on average, compared with average growth rates of 1% for those with populations of 5k,to 9,999;  1.1% for those with populations of 10k to 49,999; and 1% for those with populations of 50k,or more.  Indeed…. “Many population growth rates reversed or saw major changes between 2023 and 2024…Cities in the Northeast that had experienced population declines in 2023 are now experiencing…

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The U.S. government is reporting that total construction spending in April, 2025 was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,152.4 billion, down 0.4% from March’s revised number.  In addition, April’s estimate is .5% lower than one year ago.  Residential construction came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $892.8 billion in April, which is 0.9% lower than March’s revised estimate. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Rental information site Zumper recently released their latest monthly National Rent Report for May, 2025.  According to their data, median rent for 1-bedroom apartments was $1520 (up 0.2%) and $1,907 (up 0.3%) for two-bedrooms. Be sure to check out their list of the top 100 metro areas. “As May marks the start of peak moving season, the uptick in our national rent prices aligns with typical seasonal trends…With the surge in rental supply beginning to taper off and demand expected to remain strong, we anticipate continued upward pressure on prices in the coming months.”  Said Zumper CEO Anthemos Georgiades Click…

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The Visual Capitalist says that in times of economic uncertainty, cash is king.  But where do Americans have the most cash in the bank?  Today’s graphic takes a look of where Americans have the most cash by illustrating the median household bank balance in each state.  Indeed…. stay safe and have a Happy Friday!! Hat tip to the Visual Capitalist.

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A recent report form Apartment List says Millennials represent the largest generation in the U.S. and are primary actors in the housing market.  Citing Census data, their report says Millennials are buying more homes today than any other generation. However, on a per-capita basis, their homeownership rate has been growing slower than that of previous generations. Today millennials represent the largest generation in the United States, and spanning the ages of 29-44 they are primary actors in the housing market. They are the age their parents were when they settled down, started families, and bought homes; however, today’s affordability climate…

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Airbnb says that in 2024, they marked a major milestone with their 2 billionth guest.   That’s not all;  Data in their recent report show that in 2024, travel via Airbnb generated more than $90 billion in economic activity across the United States – a record number.  In addition, their travel generated more than $25 billion in total tax revenue across the country including $2.4 billion in tourism-related taxes collected and remitted by Airbnb on behalf of hosts.  Indeed, see the interactive map below. Click here to read the full report at Airbnb.

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