Real Estate News: Real Estate Investing Podcast

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending May 8th, 2021… what's happening with the CDC eviction moratorium, why you should sell your home in May, and which rental markets are the most competitive. Economic News We begin with economic news from this past week, and a new court ruling "against" the CDC's eviction moratorium. A U.S. District Court Judge in Washington, D.C. ruled that the Cent...

It's easy to see that the housing market has remained strong throughout the pandemic, but quantifying that impact is no easy task. That kind of data crunching can help explain what happened, and what's likely to happen in the near future. It's also the kind of analysis that HouseCanary has done, with results that show the full-impact of the pandemic on housing. HouseCanary is a data analytics comp...

An appeals court decision has ruled in favor of a development project in Berkeley that will give the state more control over local housing decisions. Some people are calling it a win for developers and the state's effort to create more housing in California, but not everyone is celebrating. The decision was based on Senate Bill 35, which addresses the housing crisis with construction mandates for...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending May 1st, 2021… the economic recovery boom, home price growth, and what builders are doing about lumber prices. Economic News We begin with economic news from this past week, and the results of a two-day policy meeting by the Federal Reserve. Fed Chief Jerome Powell acknowledged a big improvement to economic conditions, and the Fed no longer feels...

The marketing of co-owned vacation homes in a scenic part of Northern California is causing an uproar among full-time residents. Real estate company Pacaso is buying single-family homes within driving distance of busy metro areas, and reselling them to as many as eight buyers. It's an idea that has evolved during the pandemic. But it's also creating a debate over the impact of co-owned homes in si...

Home prices have been rising so fast that comps have become wildly unreliable. That's making it difficult for sellers to set accurate listing prices, and for buyers to get homes appraised for what lenders are willing to loan. Home valuation tools like Zillow's Zestimate and others are also struggling with a volatile pricing environment, and are often off by an insanely high amount. In a report by...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 24th, 2021... new home sales blast off, existing home sales stall, and mortgage rates are doing what we like them to do! Economic News We begin with a slow week for economic news. There were no reports on the MarketWatch calendar from Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, the weekly unemployment report showed there were fewer first-time fil...

The prediction that millions of homeowners would face foreclosure due to job losses from COVID 19 shutdowns does not seem to be materializing. There are some who say that delinquent borrowers have a way to avoid that fate this time around. Unlike the Great Recession, they have a lot more equity in their homes which they won't want to lose. When the housing market crashed in 2008, it was the result...

It may seem like the housing market is as hot as it can ever be, but a new survey shows that millions of Americans could be on the verge of relocating, sparking even more buyer activity. The survey is part of Zillow's first-ever "Mover Report." It shows that people are waiting for pandemic worries to go away as they ponder new homes and new locations. Zillow researchers were motivated to find out...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 17th, 2021... home builders are stepping on the gas, rents are headed "up" once again, and the best days to list your home. Economic News We begin with economic news from this past week. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell offered more clarity on when the central bank plans to start the tapering process. The Fed has been buying $120 billi...

Airbnb is taking another proactive step to prevent house parties over the Fourth of July weekend. It launched a new campaign called "Summer of Responsible Travel" which bans one-night rentals and last-minute bookings for guests who don't have a history of good reviews. The July 4th holiday is turning into what many feel is the BIG REOPENING after more than a year of social isolation from the pande...

There's a new plan brewing to help delinquent borrowers and prevent another wave of foreclosures. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants to extend the foreclosure moratorium through the end of this year and is currently asking for comments on the plan. But does the CFPB have the authority to do this? According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, 2.7 million homeowners were in forbearance...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 10th, 2021... an economic forecast from the International Monetary Fund, home price growth around the world, and a survey on having pets at work. Economic News We begin with economic news from this past week, and an upbeat forecast from the International Monetary Fund. The IMF raised its 2021 U.S. economic outlook from 5.1% to 6.4%. It expec...

Home buyers are making all sorts of sacrifices in today's market. Without enough homes to meet demand, some buyers are eliminating contingencies and offering way more than the listing price. That may be a simple transaction if you're paying cash, but for those getting a loan, a "gap" between the sky-high amount offered to clinch the deal and the appraised value of the home could be a deal breaker....

Remote work has become a dream come true for many people. But, can it also become too much of a good thing? One UC Berkeley researcher predicts that cities will thrive again once the pandemic is under control. His arguments are compelling and support the idea of a metropolitan or suburban lifestyle with fewer days at the office and commutes that are easier because highways are less congested. UC e...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 3rd, 2021... an economic update from Fannie Mae, a surge in consumer optimism, and the return of the cicadas. Economic News We begin with economic news from this past week, and an updated economic forecast by Fannie Mae. The mortgage guarantee enterprise is expecting real GDP growth to hit 8.4% in the second quarter of this year, and 6.6% fo...

When the world shut down because of COVID-19, few people thought their work routine would change so drastically. It's now more than a year since the virus forced people into a remote work environment, and with the pandemic threat diminishing, there are big questions about the best way to shift to a more hybrid model that combines workplace with work-from-home. www. NewsForInvestors.com  

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending March 27th, 2021… the state of the economy from Treasury Secretary Yellen and Fed Chief Powell, what some see as a co-working rebound, and a new demand for golf course homes. www. NewsForInvestors.com Links: 1 - https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/23/economy/janet-yellen-jerome-powell-economy-recovery/index.html 2 - https://www.marketwatch.com/story/consu...

The push continues for a solution to lumber shortages and skyrocketing lumber prices. A large number of sawmills were shut down early last year, creating a major shortage of lumber for the construction industry. While there's hope that sawmills will return to full capacity as people get vaccinated and social distancing mandates are relaxed, the National Association of Homebuilders is urging policy...

Individuals across the U.S. are getting a new round of stimulus checks worth more than $410 Billion. This is the third time the government has handed out money because of the pandemic. While many people are still suffering financially, the economy is also recovering, and that's raising a lot of questions about whether people should save, spend, or invest their checks. So what should individuals do...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending March 20th, 2021... why homebuilder confidence took a dip, why we won't have a spring home-buying season, and superstitions that discourage homebuyers.   We begin with economic news from this past week, and new assurances from the Federal Reserve about economic growth and inflation. While Fed officials expect to see a GDP OF 6.5% this year and inf...

New risk reduction policies at Fannie Mae could make it harder to get loans for single-family second homes and investment properties. The GSE sent letters to lenders saying it will impose a new 7% limit on the acceptance of those kinds of loans. Fannie is currently accepting a higher percentage. So what does that mean for investors? www. NewsForInvestors.com  

Dozens of New York City landlords are being accused of discriminating against people with housing vouchers. A housing rights watchdog group filed a federal lawsuit against 88 brokers and landlords after an undercover operation that involved recorded phone calls. The state of New York made it illegal to discriminate against tenants based on their source of income in 2019. That includes people who u...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending March 13th, 2021… a $1.9 Trillion economic rescue, iBuyer 2021 rebound, and a Zillow hiring spree. We begin with economic news from this past week, and the approval of a $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 relief package. The National Association of Realtors is applauding the high-dollar stimulus plan because there are several provisions that will help the hou...

The pandemic has increased renter preferences for certain amenities, and one New York City website has come up with an interesting list of "must haves." It's a top 10 list that was compiled from search results in December and January by apartment listing website StreetEasy. People have been spending more time at home since the start of the pandemic, and that's changed a lot of priorities about our...