Author: Brad Beckett

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…

What are the best cities for America’s dog lovers?  Redfin and Rover (the pet-sitter & dog-walking site) recently put pen to paper to figure it out.  Redfin used data from Rover’s 14k+ cities to compile a list with the highest counts of walks, dog walkers and sitters, along with total hours, minutes and distance per walk by each dog walker or sitter on Rover.  Then,they cross-referenced that data with Redfin’s listings of homes for sale that had points such as proximity to dog parks, being dog-friendly, etc.  The list is fun and a reminder that America loves her dogs. “Despite…

Department of Housing & Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson recently penned an insightful op-ed about how Opportunity Zones present a new dawn for economic opportunity by offering tax relief to those who invest in designated low-income communities across the country. He emphasized that Opportunity Zones are estimated to attract over $100 billion in private capital to some of the most economically neglected communities in the U.S.  Indeed… “It is one of our Nation’s bedrock beliefs that America is the Land of Opportunity. Every street in every city, every stretch along every country road, should indeed be a zone where opportunity…