Author: Brad Beckett

Where are the hottest real estate markets in the country?  Realtor.com found that those who made the top of their mid-summer list are actually  industrial towns in the Rust-Belt that have undergone revitalization and are booming again.   Some are also less expensive alternatives to their pricier cross-state cousins.  Either way, the list is certainly worth checking out. “The nation’s hottest real estate markets in July weren’t the big, famous cities that most folks would expect. But what they lack in glitz, excitement, and skyscrapers, these smaller metropolitan areas more than make up for in affordability…” Metro Rank (July 2019) Rank…

The lessons learned from the so-called “Great Recession” will be many and the housing market is no exception.  A new report from CoreLogic says the housing market was the “Comeback Kid” for its evolutionary role during our current economic expansion.  They attribute stable job growth, mortgage funding and underwriting for the housing market’s recovery from its historic crash.  Their report digs further into these factors and analyzes the market’s performance during our current period of economic expansion. “Homeownership is considered a crucial step to wealth accumulation. However, the Great Recession tested this long-held belief.” “…In addition to a more encouraging…

We have had several posts about labor shortages in the building industry over the past couple years and the problem doesn’t seem to be getting better, despite a good economy.   According to a recent builder survey from the National Association of Home Builders, labor and subcontractor shortages continue to remain widespread and are putting additional upward pressure on new home prices.  Their survey listed 15 specific occupations with framing crews experiencing the greatest manpower shortages.  Indeed… Click here to read the full report at NAHBnow.com.

Smartasset says that two major factors, “growth and stability” are key indicators of a property’s value (good and bad) as time marches forward.  Naturally, owners want a stable environment where the value will grow over time and not risk pushing them underwater if they have a mortgage.   That being said, Smartasset ran the numbers to find metro areas that are the best bets for growth & stability. They compared home value data for every quarter over a 25-year period through Q4 2018. Click here to read the full report at SmartAsset.com.

The IRS isn’t exactly known for simplicity and here’s an example of them owning up to their complexity.  The Taxpayer Advocate Service recently released a “roadmap” of the stages of a taxpayer’s journey, from getting answers to tax law questions, all the way to audits, appeals, collection, and litigation.  By their own admission, they say “you can see from its numerous twists and turns, the road to compliance isn’t always easy to navigate. But we hope this map helps taxpayers find their way.”  The TAS says the map illustrates why the road to tax compliance isn’t always easy to navigate. …

Where are the best places to flip houses in America?  While they don’t have an actual crystal ball, WalletHub recently looked at over 170 American cities, using over 29 different criteria such as market potential, cost and quality of life to come up with a list of the best places to find flips.  However, for all of you wannabe Tarek & Christinas out there, they do caution that it’s not quite as easy as it is on TV: If you’re among the millions of HGTV viewers who’ve seen an episode of “Flip or Flop,” you’ve probably thought about the thrill…

We have posted a lot about cyber security and how to avoid getting caught in its snare.  Today’s infographic from Panda goes over the some of the most common social media scams on the internet and how to spot them.  Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to Panda.

For the first time since 2008, the Federal Reserve recently cut rates by one quarter point.  In a recent a recent episode of Real Estate News for Investors Kathy Fettke explains what the rate cut means for real estate investors and sheds more light on the current economic landscape.  She says this action marks a dramatic shift in monetary policy. “So we will most likely see a strong economy through the rest of 2019, and probably up until the election. And, if the economy remains robust, there’s a strong chance Trump will get re-elected….These are however, uncertain times. The best…

Redfin says that millennial homebuyers are less likely to undertake creative measures to help pay for their mortgage.  According to their research, only 51% said they’d use a creative strategy to help buy their new home versus 60% who would, just one year ago.   To get their data, Redfin surveyed over 2k people who planned to buy or sell a home over the next 12 months, zeroing-in those born between 1981 & 1986 (millennials).  Indeed… “Millennial homebuyers in 2019 are less likely to take extraordinary measures to afford their mortgage payments, such as getting help from their parents or co-ownership…

Where are the most affordable places for renters?  Zillow recently ran the numbers on affordability (% spent on rent and median rent costs) to come up with the 10 best cities in America for renters.  They point out that renters typically spend 27.8% of their income for rent, which all of their top 10 cities fell well below.  Indeed… “Affordability is a relative concept in housing. Markets that seem affordable because their median rent is on the low side may actually be unaffordable to people who make the typical wage there. So, we measure affordability by the share of median…