Author: Brad Beckett

On a recent episode of Real Estate News for Investors, Kathy Fettke says AI is creating new opportunities in real estate, but it’s also creating new risks. She breaks down a recent report that shows deepfake fraud and seller impersonation are becoming growing threats in mortgage transactions, and what every real estate investor should do to protect themselves at closing. Click here to listen

Regular readers will know that we cover foreclosure activity on here quite a bit.  Citing data from ATTOM, a recent Daily Download from HousingWire listed out 18 years’ worth (2008-2026) of first-half foreclosure data.

A recent report on HousingWire says Russell Vought, the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), recently testified before the House Financial Services Committee, arguing that the bureau has exceeded its statutory authority while lawmakers argue over future of the beleaguered agency.  According to the report, Vought defended the CFPB’s workforce reductions and regulatory rollback and urged Congress to place the agency under the appropriations process and limit its discretionary authority.  The hearing examined the CFPB’s Spring 2026 report that covered activities for Q3 2024 –  required by Dodd-Frank. Click here to read the full story at HousingWire.…

The U.S. Government is reporting that sales of new single-family houses in June, 2026 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 628k, which is 1.6% higher than May’s revised rate but is 5.6% lower than one year ago.  The median sales price of new houses sold in June was $398,300 with an average sales price of $475,400.  There were an estimated 485k new houses for sale at the end of June representing an 9.3-month supply at the current sales rate. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.

A new report from Zumper says that whether it’s better to rent or buy depends on local market conditions and there are two key metrics help compare the costs. The first is the price-to-rent ratio, which divides a market’s median home price by one year of median rent. Generally, ratios above 21 favor renting, below 15 favor buying, and 15–21 indicate a balanced market. Across more than 80 markets analyzed, the national midpoint is about 20. The second metric is the PITI cost delta, which compares a monthly mortgage payment—including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance—to monthly rent, showing the immediate…

According to the latest Cotality Single-Family Rent Index (SFRI), U.S. single-family home rental prices increased 1.3% year over year in May, 2026.  This represents a decline, as year-over-year rent prices increased by 2.6% in May 2025.  In addition, they say Florida and parts of Texas continue to soften, while the Midwest and Northeast markets remain the strongest performers.  However, Los Angeles saw the largest slowdown in rent price growth for the 3rd month. “The May data tells two different stories. While annual single-family rent growth remained subdued at 1.3%, rents increased 2.2% between February and May, a stronger-than-typical spring gain…

The Visual Capitalist says from California’s fruit & vegetable farms to the Midwest’s vast corn & soybean fields, agriculture looks very different across the country.  To that end, citing the data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, today’s graphic ranks every state by its agricultural production value as of 2024.  Be sure to look at their entire dataset…..And, as always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to the Visual Capitalist.

According to the latest Yardi Matrix Multifamily Report, multifamily advertised rents grew slowly in the first half of 2026, but that’s not stopping investors from allotting capital to the sector.  The average U.S. advertised rent rose $4 to $1,763, with year-over-year growth unchanged at 0.2%.  They say demand has moderated. Demand has moderated considerably, with preliminary data indicating that national absorption totaled approximately 108,000 units during the first five months of the year, down 61% from the same period last year. This suggests household formation is no longer keeping pace with the surge in apartment completions, which could extend soft…

In late June, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court blocked a proposed statewide rent control initiative from appearing on the November general election ballot, ruling that it violated Article 48 of the Massachusetts Constitution. The court found that the measure’s exemption for housing operated by religious institutions improperly related to religion, making it ineligible for placement before voters. The proposed initiative would have established statewide rent stabilization, capping annual rent increases at the lesser of 5% or the Consumer Price Index, with the limits remaining in effect even when tenants changed. Had it passed, Massachusetts would have joined California, Oregon, and…

The U.S. government is reporting that privately‐owned housing starts in June, 2026 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,427,000, which is 19% higher than May’s revised number and is 3.5% higher than one year ago.  June’s rate for buildings with five units or more was 513k.  Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,367,000, which is 3% lower than May’s revised number and is 2.3% lower than one year ago.  Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 445k in June.…