Author: Brad Beckett

According to the latest Yardi Matrix the average national apartment rental rate rose $6 in March, reaching another time high of $1,181. Rents rose 0.5% month-over-month in February, and were up 1.5% for the first quarter. “Despite the good performance, rent growth continues to moderate. On a year-over-year basis, national rents were up by 5.7% in March, but that was down 20 basis points from February and 70 basis points from January. The bottom line is that although few (if any) property owners would be unhappy with 5.7% annual rent increases, growth was even better in the first quarter a…

Did you know that America’s fire death rate is one of the highest per capita in the industrialized world?  Fire kills around 3k and injures approximately 20k people every year.  And, believe it or not, the majority of deaths are in homes without a working smoke alarm. The U.S. Fire Administration publishes a handy state-by-state guide with residential smoke alarm requirements.  Click here to view it. Click here to read more on Fema.com Click here to see state-by-state residential smoke alarm requirements.

If you’re tired of rising rent, should you consider becoming a landlord?  That’s the tack of a recent story on CNBC that suggests with a lackluster bond market and shaky stock returns, people should turn their attention towards investing in rental properties. Indeed….and a great place to start is your local REIA – where you’ll find the necessary resources and expertise you’ll need to get involved in the world of real estate investing. “…single-family rental homes made up about 9 percent of the U.S. housing stock before the housing bust. Now they are about 13 percent and still rising, according…

We believe as real estate investors, borrowers, lenders, our success is only limited by the quality and number of our connections.  The investor who has better, faster and more connections will not only survive today’s challenging environment… they will excel in it! REIFACON 2016 will host experts that will provide strategies and insights on everything from evaluating and packaging a deal to choosing a funder, regulation updates and more.  It’s a great opportunity to network and hear from other investors and entrepreneurs.  With so much talent and experience in one room, you’re sure to discover new ideas that will help your…

Housing data provider RealtyTrac released their Q1 2016 Single Family Rental Market Report which ranks the best markets to residential rental properties.  Analyzing government data from 448 counties with at least 100k people, the reports rankings are based on potential annual gross rental yield (monthly rent, annualized, divided by median home price) as well as projecting future growth in selected areas. “…there are still plenty of solid opportunities available for real estate investors willing to cast a wider geographic net….Rents are rising faster than median home prices in 45 percent of the markets analyzed — indicating continued strong demand for…

Student housing can be a lucrative investment.  But in today’s tech-savvy and entitled world, it’s important to stay one step ahead and know what your target audience wants.  The folks over at data analytics powerhouse AXIOMetrics have put together a list of the 5 basic amenities they believe students most want. The amenities are: Walkability Outstanding Wi-Fi Connectivity Safety and Security Space Study Areas “With enrollments up at many schools, purpose-built student housing that targets student needs can stand apart from aging inventory and leverage pent-up demand.  If you do your homework, it can be an excellent investment.” Click here…

This week S&P/Case-Shiller released their monthly Home Price Indices for January which showed that home prices increased 5.4%, year-over-year.  In addition, their 10-City Composite is up slightly at 5.1% for the year and the 20-City Composite’s year-over-year gain is 5.7%. “Home prices continue to climb at more than twice the rate of inflation,” says David M. Blitzer, Managing Director and Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “The low inventory of homes for sale — currently about a five month supply – means that would-be sellers seeking to trade-up are having a hard time finding a new,…

As more and more baby-boomers are nearing retirement evidence is showing that many are selling their homes and looking at downsizing options.  This week the WSJ reported that to be the case.  In fact they also reported that unlocking home equity can make a big difference when it comes to planning for retirement. “Renting has both advantages and disadvantages for older consumers. On the plus side, renters typically enjoy a wider range of housing options, flexibility (a one-year lease is a short-term commitment) and the fact that building managers handle repairs, landscaping and snow shoveling. A big financial disadvantage for…

Data powerhouse CoreLogic is reporting that cash sales accounted for 34% of home sales in 2015, which was the lowest level since 2008. The cash sales share peaked in January 2011 when cash transactions accounted for 46.6 percent of total home sales nationally. Prior to the housing crisis, the cash sales share of total home sales averaged approximately 25 percent. If the cash sales share continues to fall at the same rate it did in December 2015, the share should hit 25 percent by mid-2017. Click here to read the full report on CoreLogic.

Several weeks ago we posted an infographic talking about what constitutes a good credit (FICO) score.  Today’s infographic breaks down the credit score to see the five factors that determine it as well as some interesting facts.  Hat tip to the folks at MGIC.  Happy Friday… Click here to read the previous story, “What Exactly is a Good Credit Score,” on Real Estate Investing Today.