Author: Brad Beckett

Rental information site Zumper recently released their latest monthly National Rent Report for June, 2026.  According to their data, median rent for 1-bedroom apartments was $1,526 (up 0.5%) and $1,905 (up 0.1%) for two-bedrooms.  Be sure to check out their list of the 100 top metros. “The biggest story in housing is still supply. The national average hides what’s really happening: rent trends are diverging sharply by market, and the common denominator is inventory. Where supply remains elevated, rents are still soft, although the declines are moderating. Where supply is constrained, rents are rising—sometimes aggressively. The national rent index is…

According to the ADP National Employment Report for June, 2026, private sector employment increased by 98k jobs.   ADP says job creation was uneven in June with financial activities and information among the gainers.  However, leisure and hospitality delivered a sixth month of weak hiring.  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 26 million U.S. employees. “The pace of hiring is telling a story of both supply and demand. We know it’s taking people longer to find work, but there also…

This Saturday, July 4th, America marks 250th years of liberty!  Today’s “semiquincentennial” graphic takes a look at some of the basic elements of our country that has made it one of the greatest nations the Earth has ever seen.  As always, stay safe, and have a Happy Semiquincentennial Weekend!!! On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with…

According to ATTOM data’s latest flipping report, there were 64,348 single-family homes & condominiums flipped Q1 2026, accounting for 8 percent of home sales from January through March.  In addition, the typical profit margin for a flipped home crept up to 25.4% in Q1 from 24.7% in the previous quarter, which had been its lowest point since mid-2008. However, they point out that was still below profit margins at the same time last year when the typical flipped home generated 29.6% returns. Click here to read the full report at ATTOM.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is warning the public about an identity theft scheme wherein criminals impersonate the owners of vacant property parcels and attempt to illegally sell the property parcels without the owner’s knowledge or consent. The scam typically occurs in three stages. First, criminals gather personal information from public records, data brokers, phishing scams, stolen accounts, or the dark web. They then create fake IDs, email accounts, and phone numbers to pose as legitimate property owners. Second, they contact real estate agents and title companies, claiming to be the owner and listing the vacant property for sale.…

On a recent episode of the Real Estate Investing for Life podcast, Jonna Weber asks, are small landlords leaving the real estate investing game?  She says recent trends suggest that many rental property owners are selling due to rising property taxes, insurance costs, maintenance expenses, higher interest rates, increasing regulations, and simple landlord burnout.  But, does that mean real estate investing is dead?   She doesn’t think so and believes it may create some of the best opportunities for strategic investors over the next decade. Click here to listen.

The NAHB’s Eye on Housing says that, on average, regulations imposed by government at all levels account for $131,734 (26.4%) of the final price of a new single-family home built for sale.  The data comes from a recent NAHB report that says regulatory costs are just one of several factors, including tariff rates on building materials, ongoing skilled labor shortage, a dearth of available lots and tighter lending conditions, currently limiting the supply of housing. Click here to read the full report at the NAHB’s Eye on Housing.

According to the latest Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) Single-Family Rent Index (SFRI), U.S. single-family home rental prices increased 1.4% year over year in April, 2026.  They say rent growth varied significantly by region, with cities in the Midwest and Northeast experiencing the strongest annual increases. In addition, growth differed across income tiers, as affordability constraints appeared to limit rent increases at the lower end of the market. “Single-family rent growth has shifted into a slower gear, with annual gains continuing to ease even as monthly increases remain in line with typical seasonal patterns. Since Fall 2025, annual rent growth has held…

Zillow says starter homes that cost $1 million or higher have spread to more than half of the country.  They say the number of U.S. cities where a typical starter home is worth $1 million+ has nearly tripled since February 2020 – climbing from 80 to a record 242 cities across 26 states. California remains the leader in million-dollar starter homes, while New York and New Jersey have seen the fastest growth.  The typical U.S. starter home is valued at $198,649 (up 1.7% from one year ago). Click here to read the full report at Zillow.

The U.S. Government is reporting that sales of new single-family houses in May, 2026 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 580k, which is 7.3% lower than April’s revised rate and is 6.8% lower than one year ago.  The median sales price of new houses sold in May was $424,900 with an average sales price of $540,600.  There were an estimated 496k new houses for sale at the end of May representing an 10.3-month supply at the current sales rate. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.