Author: Brad Beckett

A recent essay by the Foundation for Economic Education says a rent control renaissance Is underway in America and it’s sure to make the housing shortage worse.  The author reminds us that failed attempts to implement rent control reinforce that there is only one way to lower housing prices when there is a shortage – build more housing.  Indeed… If one needed any more proof that rent control laws suppress investment in new housing, then it is not necessary to look any further than this recent survey from the National Apartment Association. They found that “Over 70% of housing providers…

The U.S. government is reporting that total construction spending in April, 2023 was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,908.4 billion, which is 1.2% higher than March’s revised estimate and is 7.2% higher than one year ago.  Residential construction came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $845.4 billion in April, which is 0.5% above March’s revised estimate. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the latest Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI), U.S. house prices rose 4.3% from March 2022 through March 2023.  Month to month, house prices were up 0.6% from February, 2023.  Interestingly, they say nationally, the U.S. housing market has experienced positive annual appreciation each quarter since the start of 2012.  The FHFA HPI is the nation’s only collection of public, freely available house price indexes that measure changes in single-family home values based on data from all 50 states and over 400 American cities that extend back to the mid-1970s. “U.S. house prices generally increased…

The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index reported a 0.7% annual gain for March, 2023.  Their 10-City Composite decreased 0.8% and their 20-City Composite decreased 1.1%, year-over-year.  However, they do point out that data show a continuing recovery in housing prices as all 20 major metro markets reported month-over-month price increases. “Two months of increasing prices do not a definitive recovery make, but March’s results suggest that the decline in home prices that began in June 2022 may have come to an end. That said, the challenges posed by current mortgage rates and the continuing possibility…

Today’s infographic from the Visual Capitalist illustrates & compares interest rates hikes by the Federal Reserve over the past 35 years.  They point out that rates have risen faster than any other time in recent history.  Indeed…..  Stay safe and have a Happy Friday!!! Hat tip to the Visual Capitalist.

Realtor.com says whether you’re a near pro, a weekend duffer, or someone who just likes the idea of living near a course, you might just find your dream home on the green.  To that end, they recently crunched the numbers to find the best affordable golf towns in America.  They looked real estate listings on Realtor.com from the past year within a 10-minute drive from one or more of the 6,445 public and private golf courses in the country.  In addition, many of these places have a high quality of life and a cost of living below the national average…

Rental information site Zumper recently released their latest monthly National Rent Report for May, 2023.  According to their data, rent for 1-bedroom apartments was $1,504 (up 0.6% from April) and the median two-bedroom rent was $1,856 (up 0.8% from April).  Zumper says May marks the seventh month in a row of modest month-over-month changes in national rent prices..  Be sure to check out their list of the top 100 metro areas. “Generally, though, we’re seeing a return to pre-pandemic seasonal patterns: Renters typically start moving in the spring, with demand peaking during the summer and fall months, causing prices to…

We’ve been covering this issue for quite a while.  However, just before the long 2023 Memorial Day weekend, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that narrowed the federal government’s jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act in the case of Sackett v. the EPA.  To that end the National Multifamily Housing Council and the National Apartment Association recently issued the following media release applauding that decision: The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association (NAA) applaud news of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA that has narrowed federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. Today’s decision…

On a recent episode of the Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor Podcast, Brian Hamrick talks with Madison Rifkin, CEO and Founder of Mount, a startup company that is focused on enhancing the guest experience by enabling hosts to effortlessly and securely provide adventure-filled memories by upselling amenities – specifically via equipment rentals such as bikes, e-bikes, scooters, kayaks, paddleboards, surfboards, snowshoes, and beach equipment.  She shares with Brian how you can increase your profits by renting out amenities at your properties.  Indeed… Click here to listen at RPOAonline.

As we have seen from recent home sales and migration data, people are “heading South.”  The U.S. Census Bureau is reporting that nine of the America’s 15 fastest-growing cities were in the South – with six being in Texas! “Georgetown, Texas, remained the fastest-growing city by percent change in 2022, with the highest rate of growth among all U.S. cities and towns with at least 50,000 people…” said Crystal Delbé, a statistician in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.