Author: Brad Beckett

Remodeling Magazine recently released their 31st annual Cost vs. Value report that they say offers “an unbiased, third-party report on how much it really costs for a professional to do a typical remodeling project, as well as how much a real estate pro believes that project will increase a home’s value if it’s sold within a year of when the work was completed.”  Indeed, they compare 21 popular remodeling projects & upgrades with the value they retain when the property is sold in 100 U.S. housing markets. “This year’s version finds a slight decline, to 56.8% in 2017 from 57.9%…

Get ’em while they’re hot….HomeUnion recently released their list of the 40 best metro areas to buy rental properties this winter.  They report that, on average, SFR investors paid 6.6% less per square foot for the same property during the winter of 2017/2018 as they did during 2017’s spring & summer buying season.  Indeed. “For the second year in a row, our study found that the wintertime is the best season to acquire rental properties,” explains Steve Hovland, director of research for HomeUnion. “Median home prices drop substantially during the colder months, while rent losses remain marginal for landlords. Below…

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Realtors, Licking Their Wounds, Get Ready for Their Next Battle (reprinted on Realtor.com), discussed the recent battle on Capitol Hill over tax reform and the efforts of the National Realtors Association to shape the outcome – which the author says emerged from the debate “hobbled and humbled” and questions whether it can “regain some of its clout in Washington politics.”  It’s an interesting read when you consider the NAR spend over $32 million on lobbying efforts in 2017 alone. In the fight over the tax bill, the NAR argued that doubling the standard…

The pest control and rodent removers over at Orkin recently released their annual Top 50 Bed Bug Cities list.  Topping their list this year was, once again, Baltimore, MD.  Orkin’s list is based on treatment data (residential & commercial) from metro areas where they have performed the most bed bug treatments from 12/1/16 through 11/30/17. Baltimore Washington, D.C. Chicago Los Angeles (+2) Columbus, Ohio Cincinnati (+2) Detroit New York (-4) San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Dallas-Fort Worth (+5) “The number of bed bug infestations in the United States is still rising,” says Dr. Tim Husen, an Orkin entomologist. “They continue to invade…

Monday, January 15th, is Martin Luther King Day.  In honor of the life & legacy of Dr. King we’ve presented this infographic about his life and impact on American history.  Happy Friday! Hat tip to the Raab Collection.

According to the latest Yardi Matrix, U.S. multifamily rents were flat in December coming in at $1,359, ending the year up 2.5%.  That figure represents the smallest annual increase since 2010 which saw a decrease of 0.4%. “The question for 2018 is how much more steam is left in the market, whether the deceleration will continue or if it will level off or turn negative. Our view is that growth will continue at roughly the same rate nationally, led by strong demand.” Click here to read the full report at YardiMatrix.com.

Nowadays, who doesn’t have a mobile phone?  Not only are they everywhere but recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (presented by Statista) over the last couple years a majority of American households do not have a landline and only have a cell phone.  Remember long-distance??? Click here to read the full story on statista.com.

On a recent issue of The Real Estate Investing Playbook, Jeff Watson and John Cochran discuss how to price your wholesale and “leave meat on the bone” for the next guy.  They break down in detail how to properly price your wholesale deals so you get top dollar and you never give your deals away leaving money on the table for you. This wholesale selling formula is designed to put the max profit in your pocket and keep your wholesale buyers coming back to buy more deals from you.  Jeff reminds listeners that “repeat customers are the lifeblood of your…

In their 41st annual National Movers study, United Van Lines says Americans are moving West while the Northeast and Midwest continue to lose population.  They report that more residents left Illinois than any other state and that Vermont had the most inbound moves.   Several states were balanced (gaining approximately the same number of residents as those that left).  United’s annual study tracks their customers’ state-to-state migration patterns over the past year. “For more than 40 years, United Van Lines has been tracking which states people are moving to and from. We also survey our customers to understand why they are…

Heading into 2018 Trulia looked at the 100 most populated metros across the U.S. using five key metrics to come up with the top 10 hottest housing markets they believe are positioned for growth.  They looked at job growth, affordability, low vacancy rates, home search rates on Trulia.com, and a high population of younger households.  Interestingly, Texas has 4 four spots on the list and Ohio has two.  But it’s Michigan’s Grand Rapids that comes in the number one position. “Every home purchase is also a huge investment—possibly the biggest you’ll make in your life.” Grand Rapids, MI Nashville, TN…