Real Estate News: Real Estate Investing Podcast

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending September 5th, 2020... upbeat reports on new jobs and unemployment, another nationwide eviction moratorium, and a pandemic-inspired boom in the purchase of second homes.   We have the latest economic news from this past week, and some good news about the job market and residential construction. But, overshadowing those headlines is an announcement...

Some California landlords say a new tenant protection law increases their risk of foreclosure, although the new law is better than the one it replaces. Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB-3088 on August 31st just hours before previous eviction moratoriums expired. Because it includes an emergency clause, it went into effect right away, protecting tenants for another five months.   Newsom approved the...

Lumber has become a sizzling hot commodity during the pandemic, and when commodities sizzle, so does the price tag. The cost of lumber has shot sky high since April, and that's adding thousands on to the cost of new homes and renovations. For some, it isn't a matter of price. It's a matter of whether you can get the lumber you need.   In a report by Fortune, research by Random Lengths shows that l...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending August 29th, 2020... the Fed unveils a new monetary policy that will allow higher inflation, home sales surge to the highest level since 2006, and the FHFA announced a delay in the new fee on refinance loans. We begin with economic news from this past week, and a new inflation control strategy from the Federal Reserve. Fed officials unveiled the n...

The pandemic isn't the only reason that demand is growing for single-family rentals, but it is one of them. And with an already tight supply of existing homes that can be turned into single-family rentals, the build-to-rent strategy is gaining momentum. There's a new report out from RCLCO Real Estate Advisors that says that demand for single-family rentals will likely outstrip supply for the next...

The CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are responding to a massive backlash over an unexpected refinancing fee. In a letter to lenders, they wrote that the uproar was unwarranted, saying it won't make much of a difference to a homeowner's monthly payment. And the fee will help the mortgage guarantee companies continue their work of helping others.   If you haven't heard of the fee yet, it's a half...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending August 22nd, 2020... home sales are soaring, rent collection is near normal, and Airbnb bans party homes.   We begin with economic news from this past week, and lawmakers that are still battling it out over a new stimulus package. An agreement could be reached soon that includes another $1,200 stimulus check, but the two sides are still about $1 t...

The job market is undergoing a big transformation right now because of the coronavirus. Many businesses have adopted work-from-home policies, for at least the near term, to keep the virus from spreading at the office. The situation has raised questions about whether we'll see businesses resurrect an upgraded version of the office workspace, and for one big company, that answer appears to be "yes."...

We typically steer away from politics in this podcast but a change in the presidency could bring about tax changes that impact real estate investors and high-income taxpayers. Some of our listeners have requested a podcast on what Democratic nominee Joe Biden is proposing if he becomes president, so I thought I'd dedicate this podcast to what we know of his plan.   www. NewsForInvestors.com

The death of a California real estate investor has uncovered what appears to be a 30-year-old Ponzi scheme and hundreds of victims who don't know if or when they'll get their money back.  Kenneth Casey died suddenly of a heart attack in May which led to a post-death audit and the discovery of financial irregularities at his two companies. In addition to an SEC investigation, investors are now hopi...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending August 15th, 2020... a new pandemic low for jobless claims, the kind of homes that are pricing higher, and a poll on the future of Social Security.   We begin with economic news from this past week, and a stalemate in Congress over a new round of stimulus relief. Both sides are blaming the other for the hold-up while millions of Americans are comi...

Refinancing your home just got more expensive. In the midst of the current mortgage refinancing boom because of low rates, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac just announced a new half point fee. They say it's the result of market uncertainty, but real estate and mortgage industry leaders say it's a money grab that's happening at a very bad time for homeowners.   The Federal Housing Finance Agency announce...

Millennials are now the largest generation, and their homebuying years are underway, but they are behind the eight ball when it comes to having the money to purchase a home. Born between 1981 and 1996, they are dealing with their second financial crisis, and many haven't recovered yet from the first one. According to some financial experts, this second career slump could keep them from generating...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending August 8th, 2020... some positive news about mortgage rates, a new disclosure rule for landlords, and where people "hide out" at home.   We begin with economic news from this past week that is highlighted by negotiations in Congress for a new economic stimulus package. At the time this podcast was written, the two sides were at an impasse, the $60...

As millions of Americans remain out of work and forbearance programs expire, there are new predictions about a surge in foreclosures. An analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions shows that foreclosures could more than double in the next year because of delinquent loan payments. The analysis includes best to worst case scenarios with the middle case showing a rise from 145,000 current foreclosures to about...

If you are a real estate investor, you've probably thought about climate change and how it may impact your portfolio. We've been warned about rising sea levels, storm surges, more severe hurricanes, and more destructive wildfires, but one future risk that hasn't gotten as much attention is the risk of a water shortage in areas that don't get much rain or snow. According to a new risk assessment st...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending August 1st, 2020… we have a sharp drop in the gross domestic product, a real estate market that defies gravity, and a new way to feel like you are taking a vacation with your laptop.   We begin with economic news from this past week, and a new record for the U.S. GDP, but not in a good way.  The government says the gross domestic product dropped a...

The pandemic is changing the way people think about money, and how much they feel they need to be wealthy. The Charles Schwab 2020 Modern Wealth Survey was taken in January of this year, before the U.S. was hit by the pandemic, and again in June, several months after the pandemic began. The results reveal changes in both attitudes and behavior, when it comes to money.   More than half of the peopl...

If you've thought about buying real estate in a self-directed Roth IRA but would like to get more money into that account, 2020 may be the year to do a Roth IRA conversion from a traditional IRA or 401k. The conversion will trigger a tax event, but due to current circumstances, you might save a bundle of money doing that conversion this year.   www. NewsForInvestors.com

Millions of U.S. properties are at substantial risk of flooding, and some say that risk is growing due to climate change. But it hasn't been easy to determine a property's flood risk. Many states don't have flood history disclosure requirements, and FEMA maps don't tell the whole story. A non-profit academic research group hopes to close that information gap with a new visualization tool that calc...

Demand for warehouse space is skyrocketing as more and more people shop online, and that is providing another option for struggling malls. Mall owners with vacant space on their hands or retailers with an online presence are turning retail space into warehouse space for e-commerce. And there's plenty of room for this trend to fly. A new report from commercial real estate services firm JLL says we...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending July 25th, 2020... numbers surge for both new and existing home sales, first-time homebuyers may get penalty-free access to retirement accounts, and critics pounce on Airbnb's request for donations.   We begin with economic news from this past week, and a real estate market that is not bogged down by the coronavirus. The Commerce Department report...

An Iowa landlord got caught in an impossible situation. He said "yes" to an emotional support dog, and that dog ended up bothering another tenant who had allergies. The allergic tenant sued because she rented the apartment with the understanding that no pets were allowed, and the court sided with her because she was there first. The case itself has an important lesson for landlords dealing with th...

A crowdfunding company that raised hundreds of millions of dollars from thousands of investors appears to have fallen into a black hole. Prodigy Network was already on shaky ground financially when founder Rodrigo Niño died a few months ago. And now, it's not clear who's running the company. The website is still blazing a message of prosperity, but calls and emails are going unanswered.   www. New...

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending July 18th, 2020... home construction is booming for a second month in a row, mortgage rates are at a 50-year low, and drive-in theaters are popping up across the country.   We begin with economic news from this past week, and a housing market that is rebounding nicely from the pandemic. The Commerce Department reported that housing starts continue...