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Most Americans Moving Out of State Are Picking This Region
As home prices hit high all-time highs in 2018, many buyers found themselves looking for new — and apparently warmer — places to live, according to a new analysis by LendingTree. In its nationwide study that analyzed more than 2 million new purchase mortgage loan requests, LendingTree found that of ...
The Year in Review: Institutional SFR Investing in 2018
I have been fortunate to work with some of the biggest investors in the country for more than a decade, serving in a variety of roles from advisor to banker to employee. The so-called “institutional investors,” large firms who manage billions in assets for the ultra-wealthy, university endowments, insurance companies, ...
New Program Aims to Cultivate More Women in Real Estate
Direct portfolio lender Velocity Mortgage Capital recently announced an initiative to engage more women in real estate by incentivizing their participation. Based in Westlake, California, Velocity launched the WIRE initiative to “qualify self-employed real estate investors and small business owners who don’t fit the criteria for a traditional bank loan,” ...
Peek into the Crystal Ball: Five New Year Real Estate Predictions for 2019
As sure as lights and stockings will be hung each December, news outlets will prognosticate on what the coming year holds in store for its readers. And at Think Realty, it’s no different. In between sips of hot chocolate and caroling from office to office, we’ve been researching real estate ...
Two Indicators Investors Should Watch in 2019
The pendulum is beginning to swing from an acute seller's market and moving toward an even playing field in 2019. This is happening at exactly the time it should, which is to say that the shift is happening now that buyers are finally fed up enough with today’s home prices ...
Sector Breakdown: Multifamily Real Estate Trends in 2018 and Beyond
The multifamily sector started off the year with some pretty big issues to watch. We end the year, on the whole, pleasantly surprised by the way some of the trends in our industry have developed and wholly intrigued by the potential represented by 2019. Entering 2018, most analysts and investors ...
Trash the Tile: Paint on Backsplash Cuts Cost, Saves Time
If you’ve ever remodeled a kitchen, you know the pain — and steep cost — of replacing a backsplash. One St. Louis company, however, hopes to make a new backsplash as simple as painting it onto your wall, simplifying the process to a few hours. Established in 2006, Giani was ...
Five Proptech Data Platforms to Help Real Estate Investors Make Smart Decisions
Continuing our series on innovation in real estate to help investors, we now look at the proptech data tools within this booming industry. As a refresher, proptech — otherwise known as property technology that aims to improve the real estate market — is rapidly expanding throughout the U.S. In fact, ...
Study: Home Flipping Hit a Summer Slump in 2018
It may have been one of the hottest summers on record, but not for real estate investors flipping homes. U.S. home flipping was down about 12 percent in the third quarter of 2018 when compared to the same period in 2017, according to an analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions, a ...
The Housing Slowdown is Starting to Hit this U.S. Region Hardest
After nearly a decade of surging growth, the U.S. housing market is finally starting to slow down. New home sales have declined for 11 consecutive months, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Despite the median price for new homes dropping, the data also show that sales of newly ...
Renters Warehouse Acquires OwnAmerica, Creating ‘Total Solution’ for Real Estate Investors
One of the fastest-growing residential property management companies in America has acquired the second largest single-family rental investment marketplace in the nation. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, Renters Warehouse on Tuesday announced its purchase of OwnAmerica, creating a new platform through which renters can find homes to lease, and investors can ...
Renovation Rockstar: Layers of History in Kansas City
Project Notes: Built in 1890 4 bedrooms/4 bathrooms 3,010 square feet Original floors and staircase Kitchen with 12-foot ceilings Purchase Price: $122,000 Rehab & Carrying Costs: $200,000 Appraised Value After Rehab: $468,000* *Because the neighborhood is dominated by multigenerational households and rentals, comps for Hatley’s property were nonexistent. This is ...
Powerful Data Produces Good Business
“The role of chief economist at Fannie Mae is a little different than a chief economist role anywhere else,” Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief economist, started out. He then went on to detail a list of responsibilities, data and analytics sources and reports, and economic teams under his supervision that ...
Crime and Your Investment Strategy: Study Reveals Safest U.S. Cities in America
Regardless of familial status, the safety of an area is always high on prospective homebuyers’ priority list. That’s why a recent nationwide study by WalletHub should be on real estate investors’ minds before buying property in a market with which they’re unfamiliar. From cybercrime and home burglaries to the presence ...
Big Flip Potential? Here are the 25 Richest Counties in America
Real estate investors looking for top-dollar homes to flip can hone their prospects thanks to a recently released list of the richest counties in the U.S. There are many usual suspects on the list, however, a few areas might surprise you as areas with the highest wages doesn’t necessarily correspond ...
3 Elements in Home Design that Withstand the Test of Time
If you’re like me, sometimes the search for design inspiration can be something of a black hole. I love searching through online images to find unique finishes and special touches that work within our investing strategy framework, but too much time in that space can sort of skew your perspective ...
Wildfires Becoming a Serious Danger to More Homeowners
Weeks after wildfires in California decimated entire cities, killed 88 people and wreaked billions of dollars in losses, an investigation has revealed that an increasing number of Americans are living in and moving to areas facing serious fire risks. Even with the growing risks, millions of more Americans have ...
Study: 386,000 Homes Are at Risk of Coastal Flooding by 2050
If environmental and emissions trends hold steady, rising sea levels and typical annual flooding will put more than 386,000 homes at risk by 2050. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that by 2050, up to $106 billion worth of coastal property will likely be below sea level. That projection ...
5 Things to Consider Before a Home Giveaway
It’s as much a part of the season as mistletoe and silver bells. The annual home giveaway season starts just after Halloween when Christmas lights and holiday dazzle show up on your retailer’s shelves. Among the biggest operators of home-giveaways is St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude's raffles local ...
With ‘Backyard’ Initiative, Airbnb Will Enter Homebuilding Space in 2019
After years of surging growth in the short-term rental space, Airbnb is looking ahead to diversify its offerings with the addition of home design and building services. Valued at roughly $38 billion, the Silicon Valley tech giant announced Thursday its new home building initiative titled “Backyard.” The company said it’s ...
Short-Term Rental Market Case Study: Niagara Falls, NY
Case to be made: Niagara Falls, New York, is a profitable location for an Airbnb rental property. Data points to analyze: Short-term rental cap rate Attraction points for visitors Local legislation Deal availability Strategic options The vacation- and short-term rental game is changing. Many investors are buying vacation rentals in ...
The True Cost of Homeownership in 2018
2018 has been a banner year for homeowners in many regards. For example, cumulatively homeowners gained nearly $1 trillion in home equity in the first half of the year alone. More than 95 percent of mortgaged homes are now showing positive equity, leaving fewer than five percent of homeowners with ...
Real Estate Market Spotlight: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan, has recently received an ambitious title: “A Grand Investment.” The label, derived from an ongoing series of studies and articles commissioned and created by a local “destination marketing organization,” certainly fits the local real estate market. In the past 18 months, the second-largest city in Michigan has ...
Report Reveals a New Haven for the Youngest U.S. Homeowners
While Florida is still the top locale for the oldest U.S. homeowners, a new state is attracting the nation’s youngest homeowners, according to a recent study by Lending Tree. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau on the 100 largest metro areas in the United States, Lending Tree found that ...
Metal, Shades of Gray and Boomers: Master Bathroom Remodel Trends
Modernizing your master bathroom remains one of the most cost-effective room renovations to add value to your home. And thanks to a recent survey of 1,144 U.S. homeowners on Houzz, a variety of trends have emerged that might maximize the return on your bathroom redo. Here are six of those ...
