Author: Brad Beckett

The Zika virus has been growing in coverage across the United States.  To date, the CDC is not reporting locally contracted infections.  In other words, only those who have traveled recently to known areas of infection have been diagnosed. Due to the mild flu-like conditions of Zika in healthy adults, it is considered very likely that it is being under-reported. Which means the virus could be spreading across the country, with little recognition of the fact by authorities. The Zika virus is transmitted by a type of the Aedes mosquito. While this mosquito is more prevalent in the southern half…

A recent study from BuildZoom highlights an interesting phenomenon;  cities that are the most expensive are the least expansive, thus affecting the value of the homes therein.  In other words, cities that allow themselves to grow outward  remain more affordable versus the ones the don’t – for various reasons (political, geographic, etc.) Key (interesting) takeaways: As a whole, U.S. cities maintained a constant pace of outward expansion into rural territory since the 1950s, but behind the facade two groups of thriving cities are behaving very differently. The first group of cities substantially reduced the pace of outward expansion beginning in…

The U.S. government today released a mixed-bag of building activity data for March 2016.  According to the report housing starts fell 8.8% below February’s numbers but were still 14.2% higher than one year ago.  March 2016’s seasonally adjusted annual rate was 1,089,000.  In addition, new applications for building permits were down 7.7% from February to a seasonally adjust rate of 1,086,000. Click here to read the full report. See also: US housing starts total 1.09M in March vs. 1.17M expected, CNBC 4/19/16 Housing starts are in, and economic experts couldn’t disagree more, Housing Wire, 4/19

Did you ever get in trouble for passing notes in school?  Financial pulse-taking news site MarketWatch recently reported about a special “Note School” where students learn about a more lucrative form of notes – ones that come with a property. It’s 9:30 a.m. on a recent sunny Friday, and 60 people have crammed into an airport hotel conference room in Northern Virginia to hear Kevin Shortle, a veteran real estate professional with a million-watt smile, talk about “architecting a deal.”  Some have worked in real estate before, flipping houses or managing rentals. But the deals Shortle, lead national instructor for…

What are the 10 fastest-growing neighborhoods in America?  Recent analysis by Realtor.com identified the 10 fastest-growing neighborhoods in the U.S. that are predicted to continue to grow. “Every neighborhood on this list, based on ZIP code analysis, has experienced up to five times the job growth of the top 100 counties in the country. Household growth in each of these areas is up to seven times the growth of the top 100 areas. New home starts are up to six times the growth in the top 100 counties. And most important, each individual ZIP is projected to see a growth…

Recent data from the US Census Bureau shows that more American households own computers and have high-speed Internet access than ever.  The infographic below illustrates this fact by showing high-speed internet usage by age, race, income and educational attainment by household.  This is all good data to keep in mind when reaching your customers and scouting your next deal. Happy Friday… Click here to view this information on Census.gov.

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…