In late January the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ordered public housing authorities on to conduct immediate citizenship verification” for all tenants in HUD-Funded Housing Nationwide. According to their release, HUD discovered nearly 200k tenants requiring eligibility verification, nearly 25k,deceased tenants, and nearly 6k,ineligible non-American tenants. Below are excerpts of that release: HUD announced that all Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and owners participating in HUD-funded housing have 30 days to take corrective action to address these findings. “We will leave no stone unturned,” said Secretary Scott Turner. “We are proud to collaborate with DHS to execute on the…
Author: Brad Beckett
Brad Beckett
Director of Education & Outreach, National Real Estate Investors Association
According to the ADP National Employment Report for January, 2025, private sector employment decreased by 22k jobs and pay was up 4.5% year-over-year. ADP says it was a lackluster month for hiring, with health care being the standout, adding 74k,jobs. In addition, they say manufacturing has lost jobs every month since March 2024. The ADP National Employment Report is an independent and high-frequency view of the private-sector labor market based on the aggregated and anonymized payroll data of more than 25 million U.S. employees. “Job creation took a step back in 2025, with private employers adding 398,000 jobs, down from…
The U.S. government is reporting that the national vacancy rates for Q4 2025 were 7.2% for rental housing and 1.2% for homeowner housing. The national homeownership rate for Q4 2025 was 65.7%. In addition, approximately 89.9% of the housing units in the United States in Q4 were occupied and 10.1% were vacant. Owner-occupied housing units made up 59% of total housing units, while renter-occupied units made up 30.8% of the inventory. Vacant year-round units comprised 7.8% of total housing units, while 2.3% were vacant for seasonal use. Click here to read the full release at the U.S. Census Bureau.
As we’re catching up with the lost data from the government shutdown, here’s the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Personal income increased $30.6 billion (0.1% at a monthly rate) in October, followed by an increase of $80.0 billion (0.3%) in November. Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes, increased $12.0 billion (0.1%) in October, followed by an increase of $63.7 billion (0.3%). Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $98.6 billion (0.5%), followed by an increase of $108.7 billion (0.5%). Personal saving was $843.9 billion followed by $799.7 billion. The personal saving rate (personal saving as…
We have had a lot of great posts about cybercrime and security. Today’s graphic from informationisbeautiful.net illustrates the most common 4-digit PIN codes form 3.4 million data points visualized from several data breaches. As always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to informationisbeautiful.net.
According to Zillow’s 2026 housing market forecast, Hartford, Connecticut is the hottest U.S. market, dethroning Buffalo, New York after two years at number one. In Hartford, home prices grew faster than in any other major metro in 2025 and are expected to continue rising in 2026, albeit slightly more slowly. Buffalo ranks second, with strong competition and seller advantages, while the New York metro area is third. Other top-ranked markets include Providence and San Jose. Zillow’s model factors in recent price growth, expected future growth, market competition, and job growth relative to new housing. Overall, Zillow forecasts modest national home-value increases…
A recent Daily-Download chart from HousingWire breaks down mortgages by interest rate to illustrate the percentage of homes in each bracket – i.e. more people have 6% than 3% or lower. Even though the data is from 2025, it helps explain why there is a large block of homeowners staying put and holding onto their houses… HousingWire’s Daily Download.
Realtor.com says buying that first home is a milestone filled with a variety of meanings for young Americans. Not only does it mean striking out on your own, but it also means investing in your financial future and finding the place where your family will grow. They say choosing where to buy that first home is an essential first step toward building wealth and achieving your desired lifestyle. Indeed….that’s why they put pen to paper to identify the 10 best markets for first-time homebuyers in 2026. They looked at metrics such as affordability, availability, and amenities – along with the economic…
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is reporting that America’s real gross domestic product increased 4.4% nationally AND in 50 states & DC in Q3 2025 – with the percent change ranging from 6.5% at an annual rate in Kansas to .4% in North Dakota. In addition, personal income increased in all 50 states &DC in Q3 2025. Current-dollar personal income increased at an annual rate of 3.3% and ranged from 6.3% in Kansas to .1% in Louisiana. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
According to recent data from the Tax Foundation, 44 states levy a corporate income tax with top rates ranging from a 2% flat rate in North Carolina to an 11.5% top marginal rate in New Jersey. Interestingly, four of those states (Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) actually reduced their corporate income tax rates effective January 1, 2026. Their recent report takes a deep-dive into these taxes as well as the rates & brackets as well as any notable changes for 2026. Click here to read the full report at the Tax Foundation.
