Author: Brad Beckett

The U.S. EPA recently announced two regulatory actions aimed at reducing costs tied to refrigerant rules enacted during the Biden administration. The EPA estimates these changes will save families and businesses more than $2.4 billion. One action revises the 2023 Technology Transitions Rule by extending compliance deadlines for hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, giving businesses greater flexibility in choosing refrigeration systems while still complying with the AIM Act. “Americans were right to be frustrated with the Biden-era refrigerant rules. They didn’t protect human health or the environment and instead piled on costly, unattainable restrictions beyond what the law requires…Our actions allow businesses…

On a recent episode of Real Estate News for Investors, Kathy Fettke breaks down the key projections for mortgage rates, home sales, home prices, inflation, and economic growth from Fannie Mae’s recently released Housing & Economic Forecast.  She also explains what Fannie Mae’s projections could mean for real estate investors, homebuyers, and the broader housing market. According to the forecast, home sales are expected to increase over the next two years, mortgage lending activity could surge, and refinancing volume may see a comeback. Click here to listen.

Rentcafe says new American neighborhoods are rapidly emerging across the Sun Belt, often replacing farmland and vacant land with thriving communities. In an analysis of 32k ZIP codes, they found some areas increased housing inventory by up to 1,300% over the past decade. Not surprising, many of the fastest-growing communities are in Texas and Florida. Key takeaways: America’s booming neighborhoods are clustered in about one third of all states. Texas leads with 17 of the nation’s top 50 newest neighborhoods. Chino, CA, saw the biggest growth in the last 10 years. Click here to read the full report at Rentcafe.…

WalletHub says Homeownership has become more challenging in recent years as both home prices and mortgage rates have risen significantly. According to recent data, the median U.S. home sales price climbed from $313k in early 2019 to $403,200 in Q1 2026. At the same time, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased from a record-low 2.65% in January 2021 to 6.37% in May 2026, raising borrowing costs for buyers. Despite these trends, some markets remain relatively affordable. To identify them, WalletHub evaluated 300 U.S. cities using 10 factors, including housing costs, maintenance expenses, property taxes, and vacancy rates. Click here…

According to the latest ICE Mortgage Monitor, mortgage performance remained broadly stable from March to April, with the overall share of past-due loans unchanged and below pre-pandemic levels.   In addition they report that homeowners tapped equity at the highest first-quarter levels since 2021. The increase was driven in part by second-lien lending, which reached its strongest first-quarter volume in nearly two decades as more borrowers chose to preserve their existing low-rate first mortgages. Some other key points: The national delinquency rate held steady in April at 3.35%. The recent increase has been driven by a rise in serious delinquencies. Early-stage…

Have you been holding back on getting into the short-term rental space?  Do you have a property in one of the 16 cities below?  Well,  Airbnb is looking for new listings in host cities for this year’s FIFA World Cup which starts in June.  In fact, a new listing (from a new host) could earn an extra $750 reward for listing a home and hosting the first guests by July 31, 2026.  They say this is on top of what hosts will already earn listing on Airbnb.  Of course there are some terms. To qualify for Airbnb’s $750 host reward,…

According to the latest Yardi Matrix Multifamily Report, multifamily rents again remained flat in May, 2026 with the average U.S. advertised coming in at $1,767 and year-over-year rent growth turned negative coming in at -0.2%.  They say soft demand is pushing occupancy rates down to a rate not seen since 2013. Another indication of softer market conditions is the decline in occupancy. The national occupancy rate has fallen more than 200 basis points from its cycle peak in 2022 to 94.1%, its lowest level since 2013. While elevated supply remains the primary driver, the decline also points to a slower…

The National Association of Realtors is reporting that existing home sales increased 3.2% in May, 2026 to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 4.17 million.  Total housing inventory at the end of May was 1.55 million units, up 3.3% from April and up 0.6% from one year ago.  Unsold inventory sits at a 4.5-month supply at the current sales rate.  The median existing-home price for all housing types in May was $429,300 – the 35th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases. “More Americans are on the move, with home sales rising to the highest level since December. This is great news…

Chartistry says car damage can occur for several reasons, and we’re all vulnerable to it at any time or place. Weather events are a huge factor in vehicle wear and tear. Things such as Hail can be a death sentence for your car, as well as intense UV radiation and heat  – which can gradually destroy your car’s interior and paint job…and let’s not even get started in road salt during the winter months.   OK…stay/drive safe and have a Happy Friday!!! “This map can help drivers determine what factors are most likely to damage their car based on where they…

We’ve had a lot of post about the problem with squatters.  Now comes a recent report from FOX News about a Brooklyn landlord named Thomas Diana who says he has spent nearly a decade trying to remove a tenant from one of his apartments, accumulating hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent and legal expenses while the case remains tied up in court.  Mr. Diana, who owns an eight-unit building, said the dispute began after a woman moved into an apartment in 2014 as a live-in companion for an elderly, disabled tenant. She had responded to a Craigslist advertisement…