Author: Brad Beckett

Generation Z might be sneaking up on us but mark our words, they will not be ignored.  We have had a few posts about this rising cohort and now we’re starting to see them enter the housing market.   A recent report by Realtor.com looks at recent mortgage origination data to give us a snapshot of each generation’s share of homebuying.  There is a lot of good data in this report including a list of the largest 100 metros, ranked by Generation Z’s Home Loan Origination Share. Some takeaways The Generation Z share of primary home loan originations is about 2%…

Marijuana legalization is a “burning” topic all across the country.  We have even had several posts on the subject.  However a new report from the National Association of Realtors seeks to shed light on legalization’s impact on the real estate industry.  They point out that in states where marijuana is legal, the product is grown, harvested, stored, sold, and consumed within the state lines.  And as such, this activity increases demand for land, warehouses and retail locations for the product.  In addition, they discuss the issue of marijuana being used in rental properties, HOAs creating rules, and title questions about…

Monday, February 17th is President’s Day.  And since real estate investors all know that “cash is king,” today’s infographic from NerdWallet reminds us that the cash we carry (with a few exceptions) has portraits of our most revered Presidents.  Have a Happy President’s Day and of course, Happy Friday!!!! Hat tip to NerdWallet.

We have seen from recent moving data that Idaho is the top moving destination for folks seeking an interstate relocation.  And, if you’ve ever been there you can hardly blame them – the state is gorgeous.  A recent story in the Wall Street Journal (reposted on Realtor.com) takes a look at a small town in Idaho experiencing rapid growth in population, mostly from California transplants. “…Over the past nine years, Star’s population has doubled to more than 10,000. Most of the growth has come from people like the Turnipseeds who uprooted from the West Coast to the greater Boise area—known…

According to new research from Zillow, the combined value of every residential home in the United States was $33.6 trillion at the end of 2019, up 3.4% ($1.1 trillion) from a year ago and 51% ($11.3 trillion) from the start of the decade.  Not only that, but the growth in 2019 alone was higher than the entire 2018 GDP of all but 15 nations.  Indeed… “In 2010, the U.S. housing market was struggling to regain its footing in the wake of one of the largest economic and housing downturns on record. But a decade of economic recovery marked by low…

Late last month, the city of Oakland, California passed an ordinance prohibiting landlords from asking about a potential tenant’s criminal history or even rejecting them for having a criminal record.  As reported by the LA Times, Oakland’s ordinance is “the strictest of its kind in the state, covering both public and private housing.”  In addition, the ordinance has exemptions for single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and “in-law” units if the owner resides on the premises.  Also exempt are owners of government-subsidized housing (including Section 8 vouchers) which federal law requires the exclusion of certain renters based on criminal records. “The measure…

According to recent census data, the share of single-person households has been significantly rising in America’s largest cities.  A recent report from Point2Homes (a division of Yardi) says that residents from established urban areas are increasingly living on their own.  Indeed, there is also a multiplying effect: “The high, and increasing demand for housing in some of the busiest, densest American cities sends both home prices and rents into the stratosphere, pushing out many of the residents who can no longer keep up; this leads to a more scattered workforce and to cities losing their sense of community and continuity.”…

We have been covering the ill-effects of rent-control for some time now.  Recently, the National Multifamily Housing Council issued an analysis of 2019’s housing market as well as looking forward into 2020.  They rightly say that rent-control is an “existential threat to the industry” that needs to be a top priority.  To that end, they identified anticipated threats across the nation.  Indeed… “Housing affordability has always been an issue for our country, but its spread beyond the coasts and to middle-income households has increased momentum behind calls for rent control and other draconian measures as a “quick fix” to the…

Remodeling Magazine recently released their 33rd annual Cost vs. Value Report comparing 22 remodeling projects & upgrades with the value they retain when the property is sold in 101 U.S. housing markets.  Interestingly, they say this year’s numbers show a slight downturn on the ROI for nearly all projects relative to the trends in 2019’s report.   Indeed… “Why the difference? The most likely answer is consumer jitters. While remodeling professionals need to stay on point, they can breathe easy. Remodeling activity is growing at a slower rate than in years past, but it continues to grow (see the Q3 RRI…

The Wall Street Journal (reposted on Realtor.com) is reporting that the nation’s builders are on track to finish more new apartments in 2020 than in any year since the 1980s, however data from RealPage shows these new units are trending toward the higher end.   According to the report, upwards of 371k new rental units are expected to come online this year –  which is 50% higher than the number of new units completed in 2019.  In addition, RealPage also says that the gap between luxury rental properties and those “one rung lower” is increasing. “State and local governments are grappling…