Author: Brad Beckett

A new partnership between Airbnb and a Florida developer could lead to landlords and tenants sharing the proceeds from short-term rentals.  The new project will be a 324-unit apartment building near Orlando that’s specially designed for homesharing.  According to FastCompany, tenants will be able to offer up their home on Airbnb for up to 180 days each year with the developer getting a percentage of the proceeds.  In addition, tenants get an app that allows for keyless entry into the apartments. “This partnership shows how landlords, developers and Airbnb can work together to create value for everyone and better serve…

The pest control & rodent removers over at Orkin recently reminded folks that Fall marks the start of rodent season when these unwanted pests seek food & shelter to survive the winter – that means coming in your properties!  In honor of the occasion they’ve put together their list of the “Top 50 Rattiest Cities” in America.  The cities were ranked by the number of rodent treatments (residential & commercial) that Orkin performed from October 2016 through the end of September this year.  Interestingly, for the 3rd year in a row Chicago has taken top spot. “Rats and mice begin…

We have had several posts about how blockchain technology, and in particular Bitcoin could be transformation agents in real estate.  Recently, CNBC’s Diana Olick recently reported that the cryptocurrency is now making its way into closings across the nation.  Just how much is one Bitcoin worth in dollars?  Click here to see the current price/exchange rate. “Our buyer has evolved, they’ve moved from mom-and-pops to young people who want to pay with various forms of payment,” said Ben Shaoul, president of Magnum Real Estate Group. “Cryptocurrency is something that has been asked of us — ‘Can you take cryptocurrency? Can…

If you’re fortunate enough to have $1 million when you retire, a lot of how long you can “survive” depends on what state you’re living in.  The folks over at howmuch.net recently crunched the numbers to show the disparity between U.S. states and their impact on drawing down (draining?) your retirement resources.  Mississippi and Arkansas top the list at 25 years while Hawaii and the District of Columbia come in at 13 & 14 years respectively.  Bottom line, it’s never too late to save for retirement and real estate is a great way to build wealth for those golden years.…

Autumn is fullly upon us and what better way to relish the season (before it gets cold) than with a list of the 13 Real Estate Trends from FortuneBuilders that you can use to take advantage of these most timely opportunities.  Happy Friday!! The “go-to” marketing move one week might be entirely different the next. A “life changing” new technology lasts about five minutes. For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to consistently educate yourself on what is most up and coming so that you are taking advantage of the most timely opportunities. Hat tip to FortuneBuilders.

The U.S. Government is reporting that privately owned housing starts in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,127,000.  This is 4.5% below August’s estimate of 1,183,000, but it is 6.1% higher than September 2016.  Single-family housing starts in August were at a rate of 829k; this is 4.6% below August’s rate of 869k. The September rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 286k.   Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,215,000. This is 4.5% lower than July’s rate of 1,272,000 and is 4.3%…

We suppose it was bound to happen……Gizmodo is reporting that Amazon is now selling tiny houses among the millions of books, food, and all other consumer items you might need (or didn’t know you needed).  And they even offer free shipping! “…This is not a shed or a cabin. It’s a damn two-story house that you can order on Amazon. With 712 square feet downstairs and 396 square feet upstairs, it’s larger than many New York City apartments and modern-looking enough to offer some curb appeal. There’s space for a full bathroom and kitchen as well as three bedrooms and…

Local Market Monitor (a National REIA preferred vendor) recently released their National Economic Outlook for October, 2017 where they share their thoughts on developments taking place in the U.S. economy. National Economic Outlook – October 2017 October 17, 2017 By: Ingo Winzer The job data for September show some of the effects of the recent hurricanes. Overall, job growth slowed to a 1.2 percent annual rate – down from the 1.5 percent of previous months. The drop was mainly due to a loss of jobs in retail and at restaurants, as you would expect in storm-ravaged areas. But the big…

Will eliminating rent-controlled units actually reduce crime?  Realtor.com is reporting that a new working paper from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology show this to be the case.  According to the study, after rent control was ended in Cambridge, MA, in 1995 the city saw a 16% reduction overall crime.  That percentage correlated to around 1,200 fewer crimes per year.  Not too shabby. “A drop in the number of property crimes (including burglary and shoplifting) and public disturbances (including vandalism, prostitution and trespassing) was largely responsible for the reduction in crime overall in Cambridge during that time. Researchers also…

The National League of Cities recently released their Local Economic Conditions report for 2017 that gauges the performance of key local economic indicators from the unique vantage point of those who are held most accountable for prosperity and equity in cities: their chief elected officials.  Results are based on responses from 224 cities across population sizes and locations within and outside metropolitan areas. “According to our sample of 224 cities, the vast majority of cities across the nation—84 percent—report that their local economies have improved over the past year. Few have witnessed significant economic decline, while 12 percent report stable…