Author: Brad Beckett

A new report from online loan provider LendingTree reveals that over half of Americans cannot cover a $1,000 emergency with their savings.  The study found that while 48% could handle such a hit, 6 in 10 have had an emergency in the past year that cost more than $1k and one third are in debt from an unrecoverable emergency.  They got their data from an online survey of 1,000 Americans which was weighted for demographic representation.  Either way, if you’re a homeowner or landlord you know how important it is to be prepared to deal with unforeseen contingencies. “From a…

What happens when you start investing in real estate right before the bubble was about to burst?  A recent episode of the ICOR Podcast talks with Clint Macklin who tried to become a Real Estate investor back in the hay day of 2007 and 2008 but quickly realized just how hard the business can be (ups, downs, you name it).  Now, after many years, a drive to succeed, and working with a mentor, Clint has been involved with several flips and now has a portfolio of properties in Cleveland, Ohio. Click here to listen at the Investment Community of the…

The chief economist for Redfin, Daryl Fairweather, recently discussed what she saw in the housing market for 2019 on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.”  Among her observations, the housing market will continue to “cool,” there will be higher rates of homeownership, less new construction and fewer real estate agents & lenders.  Indeed… Click here to read thr full story at CNBC.com.

The final weekend of 2018 is now upon us.  We hope you had a great 2018 and wish you nothing but the best for whatever 2019 has in store!  Today’s rather large infographic from WalletHub shares over 5o New Years Facts – which are perfect to spark a conversation or keep one going while you’re waiting to ring in 2019!  Happy Friday and Happy New Year! Hat tip to WalletHub.

A program that millions of Americans rely on to protect themselves from the financial risks of flooding might be in jeopardy due to the partial government shutdown (taking place as of this posting).  As reported by Politico, a bipartisan effort on capitol hill are pressuring FEMA to seek a reversal of a decision that reportedly ignores congressional intent, as Congress recently passed legislation intended to reauthorize the flood program’s operations through May, 2019. “Awful,” one congressional aide said of the agency’s decision. “FEMA botched it.” Click here to read the full story on Politico.com. UPDATE from HousingWire (12/27): FEMA rules…

A while back we had a post about a woman and her emotional support peacock trying to board a United Airlines flight at the Newark Airport.  Now, in the spirit of humorous holiday travel (and a good marketing gimmick to boot) the Popeyes Chicken location at the Philadelphia Airport (Terminal C) is offering hungry holiday travelers an “Emotional Support Chicken.”  As reported by AdWeek, it comes on the heals of recent questions & controversy about emotional support animals being allowed on flights without limits or any certification.  In addition, AdWeek reports that Delta Airlines is no longer allowing puppies or…

According to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, shows that home prices shows that the rate of home price increases across the U.S. slowed for the third month in a row.  To that end, they reported a 5.5% annual gain in October, remaining the same as September.  Their 10-City Composite annual increase came in at 4.7% and their 20-City Composite posted a 5% year-over-year gain.  The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are one of the leading measures of U.S. residential real estate prices, tracking changes in the value of residential real estate both nationally…

A recent “chart of the week” from the Mortgage Bankers Association illustrates the number of owner and rental households with their corresponding income and housing costs burden.  Using data from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies’ State of the Nation’s Housing Report, they show various demographic shifts between renting and owning taking place before and after the last recession.  Perhaps most interesting was a post-recession shift from owning to renting among households earning between $30k and $75k. “The numbers tell an important story about affordability, and also about how households and the housing market interacted before, during and after the…

While there aren’t as many as there used to be, there are still plenty of them around – and chances are you know where some of them are.  We’re talking about the old motels that used to be a ubiquitous presence along our roadways and in our small towns.  Many of them have been torn down or replaced however a recent article on Realtor.com tells us how the older ones being turned into affordable housing in markets with tight demand.  They even say that for the homeless and disabled “these adaptive reuse projects have been a godsend.”  They do point…

Local Market Monitor, a National REIA preferred vendor, recently released their National Economic Outlook for December, 2018 where they share their thoughts on developments taking place in the U.S. economy. National Economic Outlook – December 2018 December 21, 2018 By Ingo Winzer Because homes are so expensive, income is an important way to look at real estate markets. The disturbing fact is that average income – adjusted for inflation – has remained almost the same for the past 15 years, cycling between $29,000 and $31,000. This is the median income, half of workers make more, half make less. If that’s how…