Author: Brad Beckett

The U.S. government is reporting that privately‐owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,235,000.  This figure is 5.7% above March’s revised estimate but is 2.5% lower than April, 2018. Single‐family housing starts in April were at a rate of 854k, which is 6.2% higher than March.  The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 359k.  Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,296,000. This figure is 0.6% higher than March’s revised rate but is 5% below the April’s number. …

We’ve all experienced them….they know no social bounds….we all hate them……and they seemingly pop up out of nowhere with no logical explanation and then disappear almost as quickly as they arrived….we’re talking about “Phantom Traffic Jams.”  Brilliantly, the folks over at thezebra.com say these phantom jams are a “disruption in the flow of traffic caused by no apparent reason” and they attempt to explain their causes.  Well, yes indeed…and Memorial Day is right around the corner…..Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to thezebra.com.

What home technology features are buyers looking for? According to data from the latest issue of the NAHB’s, What Home Buyers Really Want, 46% said security camera was at the top of their list, followed closely by a video doorbell.  The study is based on a survey that asked recent and prospective home buyers about the features that they would like in a home and a community. “…three of the four most wanted features are security-related: along with a security camera, a video doorbell and a wireless home security system are wanted by at least 40 percent of home buyers.…

The folks at howmuch.net remind us that electricity is one of the absolute necessities of modern life – powering everything from computers to refrigerators and even charging up our mobile phones and tablets.  Using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, they crunched the numbers to see how much Americans pay for electricity across the nation, looking at residential, commercial and industrial rates.  The results are “electrifying.” Click here to read the full story at howmuch.net.

Local Market Monitor, a National REIA preferred vendor, recently released their National Economic Outlook for May, 2019 where they share their thoughts on developments taking place in the U.S. economy. National Economic Outlook – May 2019 May 13, 2019 By: Ingo Winzer Measured by Gross Domestic Product, the economy grew at a 3.3 percent annual rate in the first quarter, after growing at a 2.2 percent rate in the fourth quarter of 2018. If you do away with the quarterly variations, the economy has been growing around 3 percent, and Consumer Spending – by far the biggest chunk – has been…

Short-term vacation rentals like Airbnb have become very lucrative for real estate investors.  On a recent Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor podcast, Brian Hamrick interviews Beth Carson, a well-known expert on the subject of of Short-Term & Vacation Rentals.  She has been in the hospitality industry for 18 years working with mini-resorts and high-end homes, and has helped investors go from losing millions a year to being profitable in one month.  During the interview she explains in detail about how she discovered the “the power of the vacation rental marketing machine.”  Her advice is spot-on for anyone looking…

According to a recent report from ATTOM Data Solutions, there were over 5.2 million properties in the U.S. that were seriously underwater (where the combined balance of loans secured by the property was at least 25% higher than its estimated market value).  These 5.2 million seriously underwater properties at the end of Q1 2019 represented 9.1% of all U.S. properties with a mortgage, up from 8.8% in the previous quarter but were down from 9.5% in Q1 2018. “With home prices increasing at a slower pace in 2018, than in previous years, the potential for people to climb out from…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently announced a package of incentives to encourage multi-family property owners to invest in thousands of neighborhoods located in Opportunity Zones across the nation.  According to the release (reprinted below) the FHA is introducing reduced application fees paid by property owners applying for certain multifamily mortgage insurance programs for the development or rehabilitation of apartment units located, or proposed to be located, in Opportunity Zones.  We will continue to closely cover this issue and post news and updates. WASHINGTON – The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) today announced a package of incentives to…

A recent report from Redfin says that home prices saw their first year-over-year price decrease since 2012.  According to their research, the median price of a home (in the metros Redfin tracks) was $295,100, down 0.1% from 2018.  They say that while this barely registers as a decline, it’s the first year-over-year price decrease on record since early 2012 when the median home sale price bottomed out at $171,600.  Interestingly they point out double-digit declines in areas of the west coast – California in particular – while several markets on the east coast saw big annual gains.  Indeed…actions have consequences:…

Have you ever considered taking on a business partner or maybe regretted that decision at some point down the road?  The folks over at FortuneBuilders say there are a variety of questions to ask a potential business partner before working together.  Today’s infographic tells us the 10 most important questions to ask that potential partner before heading down that path.  After all, the best business partner will complement your strengths and weaknesses, and match your overall vision for the company.   Happy Friday!!! “Acquiring a business partner can be beneficial for a number of reasons. Partners have the ability to reduce…