Author: Brad Beckett

Airbnb is buying last-minute hotel room booking site HotelTonight, firmly moving them into the hotel room booking business.  According to travel news site Skift, Airbnb will be paying in excess of $400 million in cash and stock.  The deal is expected to close in June. “Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky said the purchase of HotelTonight was a key component of Airbnb’s desire to become a comprehensive travel marketplace.  ‘A big part of building an end-to-end travel platform is serving every guest, whether they plan their trip a year or a day in advance…'” Click here to read the full…

According to the latest Yardi Matrix, U.S. multifamily rents rose slightly in February, coming in at $1,426 with year-over-year growth holding firm at 3.6%.  Yardi reports that this annual growth rate is the highest since late 2016. “The staying power of the cycle is a major concern in a market that has had an unusually long run without a downturn. Multifamily, however, continues to defy those worries, and the latest numbers are evidence that the market has strength to perform well for a while, even if the economy or other commercial real estate segments slow down.” Click here to read…

According to recent Census data analyzed by the Mortgage Bankers Association, owner-occupied households saw an increase of 1.6 million in 2018, marking the largest annual increase since 2004.  In addition, they said that after nine years of mostly contraction in owner-occupied households, 2018 was the 3rd straight year of growth. “From 2007 to 2016, which covers the housing market downturn and Great Recession, as well as several years of a slow-growing economy, renter household growth exceeded owner-occupied household growth. This is one main reason why the homeownership rate declined, as foreclosures and short sales, the contracting economy, shifting housing preferences,…

According to ATTOM Data’s Q1 2019 Single Family Rental Market report, the average annual gross rental yield (annualized gross rent income divided by median purchase price of single-family homes) among the 432 U.S. counties was 8.8% in Q1 of 2019, up from an average of 8.7% in 2018.  Using data from HUD and their own sources, their report analyzed single family rental returns in 432 U.S. counties each with a population of at least 100k and sufficient rental and home price data. “Buying single-family homes to rent them out is a better deal for investors so far this year, than…

As tax season kicks into full gear the IRS recently reminded folks that they are sitting nearly $1.4 billion in tax refunds from an estimated 1.2 million taxpayers who did not file a 2015 Form 1040 federal income tax return.  However, in order to claim these refunds taxpayers must file their 2015 tax returns with the IRS no later than Monday, April 15 (except for taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts, who have until April 17).  Interestingly, there’s no penalty for or filing a late return if you’re due a refund. “We’re trying to connect over a million people with their…

A new report from Zillow says that rent growth has hit a 10-month high as appreciation in home values is dropping sharply.  Their data show that rent prices grew on an annual basis at their highest rate since April, after decreasing for the first time in six years last Fall.  However their economist says millennials will soon stop renting and move over to the homeownership column.  Indeed… Key takeaways: Rent prices grew 2.4 percent from a year ago. The median U.S. rent is now $1,472. The typical U.S. home is worth $226,300, a year-over-year increase of 7.2%.  This is the…

We have had several posts about property taxes and their importance to your bottom line and your property’s value.  The NAHB’s Eye on Housing says that property taxes can vary widely across states both in terms of annual taxes paid as well as effective tax rates.  There data show some interesting corollaries with those states with high overall taxes and those with lower tax climates.  Indeed…. “State and local property taxes tax more than just residential real estate. State and local governments also collect property taxes on commercial real estate, industrial real estate, and personal property owned by individuals as…

What are the most expensive neighborhoods in the country?  Well, if you have to ask……The data-crunchers over at Realtor.com recently put pen to paper and calculated the median listing price for every ZIP code in America to come up with the most expensive neighborhood in every state.  Does yours make the list? “…There’s no other way to explain our fascination—make that obsession—with the biggest, the best, and the richest. We always desire a glimpse inside the lives of the wealthiest among us, to learn what cars they drive, what clothes they wear, and, most importantly, where they live…” Click here…

With inflation predicted to run well under 2% over 2019, it’s worth taking a look at the past 20 years to see what prices for various goods & services have gone down and what prices have seemingly risen out of control.  The reasons vary are easily debatable but the facts will still remain…Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to howmuch.net.

No one will disagree that there are few deadlier places to be in a tornado than in a mobile home.  However, as a recent Wall Street Journal article (reposted on Realtor.com) pointed out, “The potential for a mobile home to be hit by a tornado is 350% greater in Alabama than in tornado-prone Kansas” mostly because they are spread out and not located in parks or communities.   But there is also another danger, apparently Alabama didn’t routinely enforce installation codes for new mobile homes until 15 years ago, meaning that it is unclear how many mobile homes are securely anchored to…