A new report from Rentcafe says in 2025 the Midwest has emerged as the most competitive region for apartment-hunters with 10 metros in their top 20 list of competitive rental markets. To get their list, RentCafe looked at the 139 largest U.S. markets using five key metrics for rental competitiveness. These factors included: the number of days apartments were vacant, the percentage of apartments that were occupied by renters, the number of prospective renters competing for an apartment, the percentage of renters who renewed their leases and the share of new apartments completed recently. Indeed… Click here to read the…
Author: Brad Beckett
Brad Beckett
Director of Education & Outreach, National Real Estate Investors Association
According to the latest ICE Mortgage Monitor, property insurance costs rose at a record rate in 2024 prompting homeowners to shop for better rates and accept higher deductibles. They report that the annual property insurance premium among mortgaged single-family homes rose by a record +$276 (+14%) to $2,290 in 2024, capping a five-year rise of +$872 (+61%). In addition, a record 11.4% of borrowers switched carriers in 2024. “While it’s no surprise that insurance costs are rising, we’re beginning to see emerging trends in terms of how homeowners are responding to the higher cost environment…ICE loan-level data shows that a…
The Tax Foundation says property taxes are the primary tool for financing local government as well as generating revenue in some states. In fact, they point out that, in FY 2022 alone, property taxes generated 27.4% of total state and local tax collections – more than any other source of tax revenue. Also, in 2022 property taxes accounted for 70.2% of local tax collections. So, where do people pay the most in property taxes? See the interactive chart below and be sure to read the full report. Click here to read the full report at the Tax Foundation.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2% in February, 2025. The all items index was up 2.8% for the 12 months ending in February. Interestingly, while the index for shelter increased 4.2% over the last year, it was the smallest 12-month increase since December 2021. Indeed… Click here to read the full release at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Next Thursday, March 20th, is the first day of Spring! That means now is a great time to start thinking about your property’s landscaping. Whether it’s a rental or a new flip, a good-looking lawn will always add value and improve curb appeal! The folks over at The Home Depot put together this handy infographic with some Spring fertilization tips to help make your lawn look great…..As always, stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! Did you know….Members of National REIA can receive a 2% biannual rebate, 20% off interior & exterior paints & primers, volume pricing, access to an…
A recent report in the Wall Street Journal (reposted on Realtor.com) says real-estate agents are reporting that affluent home buyers are using rent-to-own deals to finance their homes. Interestingly, they say rent-to-own transactions offer well-to-do buyers substantial benefits such as (in new construction) the ability to discover construction defects that wouldn’t might go unnoticed during inspection. In addition, they add that these transactions also provide buyers with a potent negotiating tactic. Rent-to-own transactions offer well-to-do buyers substantial benefits. In new home purchases, they offer the ability to live in a home and discover construction defects that wouldn’t otherwise be found…
The New York Post is reporting that a slow-motion crisis is unfolding in Florida’s condo market which is threatening to upend the state’s image as a haven for retirees and reasonably priced beach living. They report that Florida’s aging condo buildings desperately need repairs, and state officials are forcing them to assess (and pay for) those long-overdue upgrades. Owners of the state’s older condos are bracing for steep special assessments, while racing to sell their homes and receiving only tepid buyer response. “You’re going to see a massive reduction in the value of these buildings based on these giant special…
According to the ADP National Employment Report for February, 20245, private sector employment increased by 77k jobs and annual pay was up 4.7% year-over-year. 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 25 million U.S. employees. “Policy uncertainty and a slowdown in consumer spending might have led to layoffs or a slowdown in hiring last month…Our data, combined with other recent indicators, suggests a hiring hesitancy among employers as they assess the economic climate ahead.” Said ADP chief economist Nela Richardson.…
According to ATTOM Data’s Q1 2025 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report, there were nearly 1.4 million residential properties (1,372,396) in the U.S. sitting vacant in Q1, 2025. That figure represents 1.3%, or one in 76 homes, across the nation – roughly the same as in the 4th quarter and up slightly from one year ago. ATTOM also says there were 212,268 residential properties in the process of foreclosure in Q1 2025, down 1.5% from the Q4 2024 and down 12.6% from the 1st quarter of 2024. In addition, they report that there were around 7,093 zombie foreclosures (pre-foreclosure properties…
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 151k in February, 2025 with the unemployment rate coming in at 4.1% – about the same as January. Marking a big change previous reports, the BLS says employment in government declined in February (down 10k) after seeing an average monthly gain of 38k in 2024. Indeed… Click here to read the full report at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
