Author: Brad Beckett

According to  Arch MI’s recently released Spring 2016 Housing & Mortgage Market Report the likelihood of U.S. home prices declining over the next two years remains low at 5%.  They do caution that homes in the “Energy Patch” states (coal, oil or natural gas producing states) remain at a heightened risk and may experience slower than normal economic and home price growth. However, they suggest home prices should rise faster than inflation. “Apart from a subset of energy extraction states, home prices should rise faster than inflation, thanks to strong fundamentals,” said Dr. Ralph G. DeFranco, Arch MI ’s Chief…

Real estate marketplace Zillow recently analyzed the relationships between land-use regulations and the change in median rents, housing inventory and the number of adults per household.  The study used data from Wharton Residential Land Use Regulation Index, the U.S. Census, and Zillow’s rent & inventory data. “In many American cities, more means more – and not in a particularly good way. More tightly regulated land use in these cities is associated with more rapidly rising rents, more acute shortages of homes for sale and more adults living with roommates in the face of rising housing costs and fewer housing options.”…

Bank of America recently released their first-ever Home Buyer Insights Report which explored the attitudes, behaviors and preferences of America’s modern home-buyer .   Among the survey’s many findings, 75% said they’re looking for a home they can grow into versus buying a starter-home. Sixty-nine percent said they willing to wait longer and save more money rather than settling on a smaller home. The survey sampled over 1000 respondents throughout the U.S., comprised of adults 18+ who want to buy a home in the future. Homebuyers today are motivated by both emotional and practical reasons. Nearly all want more space, but…

The following editorial appeared in the Investors Business Daily on 4/11/16….it’s worth reading & sharing. HUD Threatens To Sue Landlords Who Screen Tenants For Felonies Crime: The Obama administration has just made it easier for felons to move in next door. Landlords who don’t want tenants who are going to mug their neighbors or deal drugs will now be treated as racists and potentially sued. Last week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued new guidelines to landlords, warning that bans against renters with criminal convictions violate the Fair Housing Act because they disproportionately affect minorities. In effect, the…

This week real estate data powerhouse CoreLogic released their February 2016 National Foreclosure Report which shows national foreclosure inventory declined by 23.9% and completed foreclosures declined by 10%, both numbers year-over-year. The number of completed foreclosures nationwide decreased year over year from 38k in February 2015 to 34k in February 2016. The number of completed foreclosures in February 2016 was down 71.3% from the peak of 117,776 in September 2010.  As of February ’16, the national foreclosure inventory included approximately 434,000, or 1.1%, of all homes with a mortgage compared with 571k homes, or 1.5%, in February 2015. February 2016’s …

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, a new report from the National Association of Homebuilders shows that effective real estate tax rates vary substantially across and within U.S. counties, with the highest rate area having rates that are often many times higher than the lowest rate areas within the same county. The analysis shows that some of these intra-county differences in property tax rates can be explained by varying household income, home values, how recently the homes have been purchased, presence of households that are exempt from paying property taxes, and the share of households with children under 18, among…

Earlier this week we posted the latest data from the Yardi Matrix showing that the average national apartment rental rate rose $6 in March, reaching another time high of $1,181. In addition to Yardi’s numbers, Bloomberg has reported that as U.S. apartment vacancies rose in the first quarter (with a considerable number of new units hitting the market) the rate of rental increases actually slowed.  Using data from Reis, Inc., they also said effective rents, rose 4.5% in the first quarter year-over-year, down from 5% growth at the end of 2015.  The vacancy rate was 4.5% compared with 4.4% in…

What are the demographics driving multifamily demand in America?  The following infographic from Arbor does a good job spelling it all out……Keep in mind, too, that we’ve posted some interesting data about apartments/rentals this week.  This chart is a good addition to that mix….Happy Friday! Read more about this infographic at Arbor LoanExpress.

Last month we posted about an AP story reporting that Cleveland city officials are considering legislation that would regulate, limit and tax short-term rentals arranged through sharing websites such as Airbnb. This week Airbnb Action (an advocacy arm of Airbnb) posted comments from their hosts in Cleveland and encouraged others (via provided link) to contact and share their feelings with Cleveland’s Mayor and City Council.  Specifically they feel a 90-day per year cap is unnecessary. “Cleveland’s lawmakers are considering new laws for home sharing and home sharers from all over the city are joining together to stand up for fair…

Over at CNBC’s Realty Check, Diana Olick reports that first-time homebuyers are largely sitting out this housing recovery, and while affordability is the main reason, it is not the only one. “It could also be they just want more than their parents did. Three-quarters of first-time homebuyers say they are looking for a home that will serve them long term, perhaps accommodating a family. They claim they don’t want a starter home. That’s according to a new national survey by Bank of America of more than 1,000 adults age 18 and over who want to buy a home in the…