Author: Brad Beckett

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) says urban populations are growing faster than ever and has posted an interesting data-driven infographic illustrating reasons for that recent population growth.

Believe it or not, pet-hoarding is on the rise in 2015.  In fact, according to the Buildium Blog, “owners who finds themselves renting to a pet hoarder of any stripe is likely dealing with not just with the potential property damage, but also with a tenant’s potential mental health issues.”  This a real issue facing real estate investors today – especially owners of multi-families.  The article also reveals the following statistics: “…reports of animal/pet hoarding today are on the rise. According to information from The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, reports of hoarding behavior have quintupled just over the…

U.S. House of Representatives House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), commenting recently on the 50th anniversary HUD’s creation, said that new ideas are needed to fight poverty and housing affordability challenges.  As reported by HousingWire, he stated: “Simply put, we must reform and innovate how we provide assistance for housing in the 21st century or we will continue to fail the very people who are in most need of our help,” he said. “That is why I am calling on all interested advocates, organizations, and ordinary citizens to join the effort to modernize the delivery of federal housing assistance…

The Wall Street Journal reports that a recent study suggests that during an election year, especially one that could be very close, that some home sales could experience declines between two and three tenths of a percent.  The data was culled from Zillow using 73 U.S. gubernatorial elections in 35 states from 1999 to 2006.  While not a major factor, it is still fairly interesting and worth noting as we enter 2016. “The likely cause, says Dr. Canes-Wrone, is uncertainty, the notion being that house hunters are more reluctant to buy if they’re unsure how an upcoming election will affect…

With homeownership at record lows, CNBC’s “Realty Check” reporter Diana Olick says that investors are buying up new homes to hold as rentals: “It was widely deemed a temporary play: Large-scale investors buying thousands of discounted foreclosed properties during the worst of the housing crash and turning them into single-family rentals. When home prices recovered, they would surely sell them for a hefty profit. The housing market is recovering, albeit more slowly than expected. Foreclosure volume is way down and home prices are way up, but these investors are not selling.  They are buying more, and now they are buying…

Real estate news site Inman has a very interesting infographic posted about what they’re calling the “Silver Tsunami, the next wave of Senior Housing.”  They say this “Niche could be a perfect fit for investors.”  Their findings: Senior housing transaction volume is nearly 59 percent higher than a year ago. The nation’s fastest-growing metro is The Villages, a retirement community in Florida. 20,000 senior housing units will be needed per year for the next 25 years. Click here to see the infographic; the Silver Tsunami, Inman

Real estate data services giant CoreLogic recently released it’s July 2015 National Foreclosure Report showing that July’s foreclosure inventory was down 3.5% from June and represents 45 months of year-over-year declines.  In addition: There were 38k completed foreclosures Nationally, down from 50k in July 2014 Serious delinquent rate is 3.4% lowest level since December 2007 Approximately 469k homes in the US were in some stage of foreclosure compared to 650k in July, 2014 Click here to read the entire report, National Foreclosure Report, July 2015.

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) recently released their monthly survey report on small business economic trends.  While the optimism index remained virtually static, it is interesting to note that nearly half of the top problems facing small businesses today are government related. “The Index of Small Business Optimism went nowhere in August, so the good news is it did not fall. Two Index components, job openings and earnings trends both posted a solid 4 point gain, but there was not much action in the remaining components. Five components posted gains, 3 fell and 2 were unchanged. The Index…

With rising college costs compounding an ever-increasing student debt, USA Today is reporting a novel idea for parents searching for ways to help offset these costs, investing in real estate.  According to the article thousands of dollars can be saved, which amounts to nearly 54% of the College Board’s estimated budget of annual housing expenses. The secret lies in parents purchasing property and then renting out rooms to other students, according to Jennifer Fredericks, a broker at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Living that has worked in real estate for the past 21 years. Read more at Real…

A recent article posted on Inman is speculating that internet giant Google is “tiptoeing toward real estate” from several different angles.  The article outlines several acquisitions and strategies that would suggest their entry into real estate. Their thesis in a nutshell: – Google recently launched home services advertising and will soon unveil a mortgage comparison tool. – Google investment arms back two online real estate marketplaces and one agent-matching site. – The Internet giant is pioneering 3-D virtual tour and smart home technology.  Read more at 8 Ways Google is Circling Real Estate (subscription may be required)