Today's Real Estate Investing Pulse
Sino Land‑Led Consortium Commits $1.7B to Kam Sheung Road Phase Two
A consortium headed by Sino Land and Great Eagle Holdings, together with China Overseas Land & Investment and China Merchants Land, will invest over HK$13 billion (about US$1.7 billion) to develop a mixed‑use residential and retail complex at Kam Sheung Road Station Phase Two in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis.
Also developing:
The 1% Rule of Real Estate Investing
The 1 % rule is a quick screening metric that requires a rental property's gross monthly rent to equal at least 1 % of its all‑in purchase price, including repair costs. Originating in an era of high mortgage rates, it helps investors rapidly filter prospects before detailed analysis. Today, elevated financing costs and soaring home prices make the rule harder to meet in major metros, prompting many to adjust the threshold or rely on complementary metrics. The rule remains valuable in affordable markets and as a first‑pass filter when paired with deeper cash‑flow calculations.
Florida Town Gives New Residents Free Golf Carts to Replace Their Cars
Babcock Ranch, Florida’s solar‑powered planned community, began giving new homebuyers a free golf cart, sparking its strongest sales month yet—a 25% jump over the previous record. The initiative is part of a broader Vision Zero strategy that includes 10 mph speed limits,...
Foreclosures 'Could Signal Shifting Housing Market Dynamics'
Foreclosure filings rose to 118,727 in the first quarter, up 6 % from the prior quarter and 26 % year‑over‑year, according to Attom data. The increase is driven mainly by a rise in foreclosure starts, which are edging toward the 100,000 threshold....
A Strategic Playbook for Opportunity Zones 2.0
Opportunity Zones (OZ) have been made permanent and will roll out new regulations in 2026. Starting July 1, states and U.S. territories have a 90‑day window to nominate up to 25% of eligible tracts for the next decade’s Qualified Opportunity Zones...
Verus' Latest RMBS Deal Raises $733.8 Million
Verus Securitization Trust launched a $733.8 million residential mortgage‑backed securities (RMBS) transaction, series 2026‑4, backed by 1,433 moderately leveraged non‑prime mortgages. The pool has a weighted‑average loan‑to‑value of 69 % and a combined LTV of 70.5 %, with a weighted‑average coupon of 7.17 %. The...
Mortgage Applications for New Homes Surge 26% MoM, Hitting 14‑Year High
The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that applications for newly built homes climbed 26% in March versus February and 11% year‑over‑year, reaching the highest index reading since the survey began in 2012. The surge reflects strong spring buying activity, higher inventory...
China March New Home Prices -3.4% Y/Y (February -3.2%)
China's March 2026 home price data showed a continued year‑on‑year decline of 3.4%, slightly deeper than February’s 3.2% drop. However, Tier‑1 cities recorded a month‑on‑month price increase, while the downward pressure in Tier‑2 and Tier‑3 markets narrowed or stabilized. A...
JLS: Mortgages Are Attractive
Nuveen Mortgage and Income Fund (JLS) is a leveraged closed‑end fund that overweights RMBS and CMBS while maintaining a low‑duration profile. Recent interest‑rate volatility has depressed mortgage‑bond prices, creating a favorable risk‑reward balance for the fund. JLS trades near the...
Pure-Logic Industries Breaks Ground on 30K‑Sq‑Ft HQ, Boosting Chandler’s Industrial Real Estate
Pure-Logic Industries has broken ground on a 29,845‑square‑foot headquarters in Chandler Airpark, expanding manufacturing space for its defense, medical and aerospace customers. The project, built by Sun State Builders on 2.2 acres bought for $1.63 million, is slated for completion in...
M&A Surge Drives $28 B Wave of Commercial Real Estate Deals Amid Volatility
Investors completed $28 billion in commercial real‑estate mergers and acquisitions this quarter, a surge that underscores strong appetite for hard‑asset deals even as market conditions wobble. The activity, highlighted by CRE Daily using Bisnow data, signals confidence in core property types...
Zillow and Redfin Forecast Stable Mortgage Rates Near 6.4% as Housing Activity Gains Momentum
Zillow and Redfin released forecasts that mortgage rates will stay near 6.4% and that housing‑market activity is accelerating. Zillow reported a 32% jump in daily page views per listing and a 4.6% year‑over‑year rise in newly pending homes, while Redfin...
Kore Power Targets Little Rock Port for Battery Gigafactory, Aiming to Create Up to 1,000 Jobs
Idaho‑based Kore Power is evaluating a former warehouse site on Zeuber Road at the Port of Little Rock for a new battery gigafactory that could generate 800 to 1,000 jobs. The project hinges on securing natural‑gas‑fueled power, a requirement the...
E-Commerce Giant Signs at Panattoni Park Crawley in Largest South East Leasing of the Year
Panattoni Park Crawley, a 200,000‑sq‑ft grade‑A logistics campus in the South East, has been fully leased to an e‑commerce retailer believed to be Amazon under a 10‑year agreement. The lease, the largest such transaction in the region this year, covers...
Prime London Housing Sales Plummet 41% Year on Year, LonRes Finds
London's prime housing market saw a sharp contraction in March, with transaction volume plunging 41% year‑on‑year, according to LonRes data. Average achieved sale prices fell 5.5% versus the previous year and 7.5% compared with the 2017‑19 March average. By contrast,...
45 Granite Bay ADU Comps Reveal Robust Market Data
Pulling comps for a property with an ADU. There are 45 data points here in Granite Bay with a listed ADU in MLS. These are sales since 2025 as well as current listings. Granted, some of these will be pool...
Bonus Season Goes Brick-and-Mortar: How Wall Street Pay Is Repricing US Property
Wall Street’s 2025 bonus pool surged to a record $49.2 bn, a 9% increase that lifted the average payout to $246,900. The windfall of liquidity is flowing into U.S. real estate, from trophy estates in the Hamptons—where sales topped $6.3 bn—to workforce‑housing...
Abacus Capital Scores $111M Refi on Danbury Apartments
Abacus Capital Group secured a $111.41 million refinancing loan for Abbey Lane Apartments, a 470‑unit Class A multifamily complex in Danbury, Connecticut. The loan was arranged by Newmark’s Multifamily Debt & Structured Finance team and funded by Fannie Mae. Abbey Lane offers...
East Bengaluru Unveils 12‑Acre ‘World of Gardens’ to Anchor Garden‑Led Living Trend
Trendsquares launched the 12‑acre World of Gardens community in East Bengaluru, featuring four themed garden environments. The project arrives as housing sales in India's top cities fell 14% in 2025, yet sales value rose 6% and 45% of buyers now...
IBT Group Wins $250K Federal Grant for $179M Pershing Terminal Redevelopment in Chicago
IBT Group was awarded a $250,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s Community First Developer Program to support paid internships and a senior fellow on its Pershing Terminal project. The $179 million redevelopment will turn the historic Quartermaster...
Non-Current CRE Loans Surge Across Construction, Office and Multifamily Sectors
Bank data show non-current commercial real estate loans climbing sharply in construction, office and multifamily portfolios, with regional gaps widening. The trend reflects higher rates, cost inflation and the end of pandemic rent support, warning investors and lenders of deeper...
Charlotte Studios Surge Fivefold Since Financial Crisis
Over the last half century, the *kind* of apartments we have built has changed Post GFC, developers have shifted towards building more, smaller units In the City of Charlotte (not metro) the SHARE % of new units built as Studios has gone...
Unlock Hidden CRE Strategy: Secure National Tenants Early
In this episode, Cherif Medawar breaks down one of the most overlooked commercial real estate strategies today, how to control deals, secure national tenants, and create massive upside before you even close. Tune in now: 📺 : https://youtu.be/DI2HYxsH6vc 🍏 : https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/raise-the-bar/id1543049208
Milwaukee's Stalled Edison Tower May Become Middle‑Income Apartments
Milwaukee Development Commissioner Lafayette Crump said the stalled 31‑story Edison luxury tower could be repurposed for middle‑income renters. The developer, Neutral, faces an $11.3 million unpaid‑bill lawsuit and a $25 million funding shortfall, prompting talks with new partners.
California Homeowners Still Locked Into Sub‑4% Mortgages
Everyone keeps talking about lock-in going away, saying the share of mortgage rates above 6% now exceeds those below 3%. Maybe in Alabama. In California, most still can't/won't move as evidenced by 34% of homeowners holding a rate between 3-3.99%...
Agree Realty Boosts Q2 Investment to $725M, Raises Full-Year Guidance to $1.6B
Agree Realty (ADC) announced a $725 million investment across three external growth platforms in Q2 2025 and lifted its full‑year investment guidance to $1.4‑$1.6 billion. The REIT also reported $2.3 billion in liquidity, a 1.3% rise in core FFO per share, and a 15%...
Basel III Proposal Could Boost CMBS Demand
The Federal Reserve, FDIC and OCC have re‑proposed Basel III capital rules that lower risk weights for commercial‑mortgage‑backed securities (CMBS). Senior positions will see the minimum risk weight drop from 20% to 15%, while overall CRE risk weights could fall to...
TBA Bidding, HELOC, DSCR, CRM, HMDA Analysis, MI Tools; Events Throughout 2026
Curinos’ proprietary index shows March 2026 funded mortgage volume jumped 35% year‑over‑year and 30% month‑over‑month, while refinance and purchase rates fell 5‑6 basis points month‑over‑month and about 73 basis points from a year ago. A modest market rally trimmed borrower...
Part 2: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for Mid-April 2026
The housing market entering mid‑April 2026 shows months‑of‑supply above pre‑pandemic levels while sales remain flat at 2025 volumes—the lowest annual pace since 1995. Prices are feeling downward pressure, especially where inventory is high, but widespread distressed sales are unlikely because...
Investment in European Serviced Apartments Hits €1.2bn as Demand Strengthens
Investment in European serviced apartments surged to €1.2 billion (≈$1.3 billion) this year, according to Savills. The sector’s demand growth is now outpacing the broader hotel market across key cities. Investors are attracted by higher yields and longer‑term leases, while developers scramble...
Mortgage Applications Plunge; Sellers Must Slash Prices
Mortgage applications to buy a house fell again. They're back down to an index level of 159, which is more than 50% below the pandemic peak in early 2021. Not only that - they're now declining year-over-year, reversing a slight positive trend...
US Homebuilder Depression Enters Second Year
The NAHB builder‑mood index fell to 34, a seven‑month low and the 24th straight month below the optimism threshold. The slump follows the Federal Reserve’s aggressive inflation‑fighting measures and is compounded by the Iran war, rising energy costs, and weak...
Sales Rise Thanks to $400‑500K Volume Surge
We have slightly more sales in 2026 compared to 2025 in the Sacramento region, and the x-factor has been higher volume between $400K to $500K this year. Why do you think we've seen more sales in this price bucket?
Boomers Own the Housing Market. Everyone Else Is Getting Priced Out
The National Association of REALTORS released its 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends report, revealing that first‑time buyers fell to a record low of 21% of all home purchases. Baby Boomers dominate the market, making up 42% of buyers...
Builder Sentiment Posts Notable Decline on Economic Uncertainty
Builder confidence for new single‑family homes slipped to 34 in April, the lowest reading since September 2025, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. The decline reflects persistent high mortgage rates, rising material costs tied to higher fuel prices, and...
Mortgage Activity Picks up for First Time in Five Weeks as Rates Fall
Mortgage demand in early April rose 1.8% after five weeks of decline, driven by a modest dip in 30‑year fixed rates to 6.42%. Refinance activity jumped 5% and now accounts for 45.5% of all applications, while purchase applications slipped 1%...
Winning in CRE Requires Off‑Market Access, Not Public Listings
Smart CRE investors don’t compete on listed deals. They win through access. • Off-market opportunities • Distress situations • Land and entitlement plays If you’re only looking at what’s public… you’re already late. #CommercialRealEstate #CREInvesting #CaliforniaCRE #RealEstateInvestors #InvestmentStrategy
Warehouse Automation Expands Real Estate Value as Adoption Accelerates, Notes Prologis Report
Prologis’ new report links rising warehouse automation to higher demand for well‑located, technology‑enabled logistics real estate. Automation now powers roughly 30% of U.S. warehouses, up from 20‑25% five years ago, and is projected to hit 50% by 2035. The study...
Self‑Storage Built for $2.4M Grows to $8M
We built this self storage facility in 2015. Opened the doors in 2017. All-in cost: $2.4 million. Acquired the property across the street for $500k a year later. It did over $100,000 of rev recently. It’s worth $8 million + today and we...
AI Price Advice Now Derailing Real‑estate Offers
Ok so this is a first for us: Broker gives us pricing guidance, we make an offer, and broker gets back to us. “The seller was happy with your offer. But ChatGPT told him it’s worth $2M more, so he’s going...
The Great Wall Just Got an Exit Gate: C-REITs to the Rescue
CapitaLand, the Singapore‑based property giant backed by Temasek, is using China’s nascent REIT market to exit its struggling Chinese real‑estate portfolio. After writing down S$545 million ($425 million) in 2023, the firm transferred assets into a listed Chinese REIT, the first international...
Demographics, Not Growth, Fuel Housing Demand; New Builds Lag
"Demographic change—not population growth—is the main driver of housing demand. And while the surge in new construction [in California] is welcome, it has not yet translated into meaningful relief for households struggling with high costs." https://t.co/SvBbqFg8yx
NYC Developers Exploit 99‑Unit Loophole, Merge Buildings
In 2024, NYC offered tax breaks & regulatory relief (labor regs, especially) for new apartment buildings with some "affordable housing" & fewer than 100 units. So, NYC developers built dozens of "99-unit" buildings & then... stitched them back together. LOL.
A Billionaire Beach Party: Mark Zuckerberg’s $170 Million Florida Purchase Tops March’s Most Expensive Home Sales
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan bought a waterfront estate on Indian Creek Island for $170 million, making it the most expensive U.S. home sale in March and the priciest ever in Miami‑Dade County. The purchase tops a list dominated by coastal...
Q1 Sales Volume Up Only 0.3%, Essentially Flat
Sales volume is slightly ahead of last year. Technically, we could say it was the best first quarter of volume since 2022, but volume is really only up 0.3% from last year (basically flat). https://t.co/UW13FjQ48p
Single-Family Home Sales Index Drops to 37 in April
JUST IN: The NAHB index for single-family home sales dropped to 37 in April from March's revised 41, previously 42.
Saudi Arabia’s Hotel Boom Has a Catch: Rates Are Falling Fast
Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector exploded in 2025, with licensed hotel facilities expanding 34.2% year‑over‑year. At the same time, average room rates slipped 11.7% between Q4 2024 and Q4 2025, even as occupancy and visitor numbers rose. Tourism already accounts for about 5%...
Host-City Hotel Rates Fall a Third, Demand Softens
"Match-day room rates in host cities including Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia and San Francisco have dropped about a third from their peak earlier this year, according to data tracker Lighthouse Intelligence, in a sign of lower than anticipated demand."
CBRE Forecasts 70,000 New Hotel Rooms in India by 2030, Market to Reach $31 Bn
CBRE’s latest outlook predicts Indian listed hotel operators will add more than 70,000 rooms by 2030, swelling the sector’s value to roughly $31 bn. The forecast follows a 2.5‑fold jump in 2025 deal activity and signals a shift toward premium, asset‑light...
Suntec Reit Eyes Injection of 9 Penang Road From Sponsor Into Portfolio
Suntec REIT’s new sponsor, Tang Organization, is evaluating the re‑injection of the 9 Penang Road office‑retail tower, a property the trust sold in 2021 for about S$89.9 million (≈$66.5 million). The REIT currently trades roughly 30% below its net asset value, though the discount...
Iran War Helped Freeze L.A.'s Housing Market. Some Hope Ceasefire Will Bring More Sales
The Iran‑War‑driven surge in mortgage rates pushed Los Angeles’ housing market into a deep freeze, with only 3,072 homes sold in January—the lowest monthly total in three years. Rates climbed to 6.46%, sidelining first‑time buyers and extending median listing times to...