Category: Economy

There are more renters now than in the history of the United States.  Unfortunately, we’re also in "the worst rental affordability crisis that this country has ever known," per the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.  That's a bad …Read more  »

When people ask, "Is it still a good idea to buy real estate now?", there are often two underlying problems.  First, is a loss of direction.  Second, "The Stock Market Mentality."  Put simply, in the stock market, timing is all …Read more  »

We know Zestimates aren’t exactly accurate, but new real estate investors rely on those numbers all too often. Zillow states on its website that it is a "useful starting point" to assist home-buyers with valuing real estate properties.  Some real …Read more  »

Every time a property is sold, the surrounding economy gets a boost.  Local businesses and industries benefit at every stage of the process from the sale to post-sale purchases.  These include aspects like home construction costs, real estate brokerage, mortgage …Read more  »

In most areas of the country, homeownership costs more than renting.  Many economists with calculators claim the opposite, but the calculations and conclusions are often highly misleading.  As is often the case, the devil is in the details. We recently …Read more  »

Landlords keep cranking up rents, with annual increases far outpacing price growth elsewhere in the economy, according to recent data released this summer. Rents in May were up 3.5% from a year earlier, while a gauge for overall consumer prices …Read more  »

In part one of 7 Steps for Picking a Strong Real Estate Market we discussed the first four litmus tests required for investing in a suitable market.  In this second part we will cover the last three tests to consider …Read more  »

Take a drive through the urban portion of any major city and you will likely see cranes and construction crews dotting the landscape, building what appears to be an endless supply of apartment units.  Your eyes are not deceiving you.  …Read more  »

I'm currently reading Dr. Peter Linneman's "Real Estate Finance and Investments" and it includes some great information on how to predict population growth -- the number one indicator of real estate price appreciation and rent growth. Here are some of my …Read more  »