Today's Real Estate Investing Pulse

Housing Prices Slip 2.4% as Buyers Return, Pending Sales Rise 4.3%
Median list prices dropped 2.4% year‑over‑year to $429,500, the steepest decline since 2017. Pending sales climbed 4.3% YoY, extending a six‑month growth streak. New listings rose sharply in the Northeast (+8.6%) and Midwest (+4.7%) while remaining flat in the South.
Also developing:
DAF Exploring Lease Opportunities for Data Centers in Alaska
The Department of the Air Force is assessing interest in leasing land at three Alaska installations—Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson, Eielson Air Force Base, and Clear Space Force Station—for large‑scale commercial data centers. The Request for Information, released Feb 17, seeks vendor input on utility infrastructure, energy generation, fiber, and cooling solutions. Responses are due March 13, after which the DAF will evaluate market capabilities before a formal procurement. The initiative aligns with executive orders targeting AI innovation, energy security, and domestic energy expansion.

New Web App: Short-Term Rentals Acquisition Model
A new web application wraps A.CRE’s short‑term rentals acquisition model, letting users input property data through a guided form while Excel remains the calculation engine. The app validates inputs, runs the model, and instantly displays key return metrics such as...
Condo Price Study Ignores HOA Fees, Misleads Results
The working paper cited as the core thesis in this essay has a pretty serious data issue ... it follows a 40-story CONDO building and how the pricing effects filter down to the buildings that the new owners leave to...

Toronto Mortgage Delinquencies Hit 13-Year High, Vancouver Quietly Follows
Mortgage delinquency rates in Canada’s two largest housing markets rose sharply in Q3 2025. Toronto’s rate climbed to 0.27%, a 4.5‑fold increase from its 2021 low and the highest level since 2012. Vancouver’s delinquency rate reached 0.19%, more than double its...
Mortgage Spreads Push Rates Under 6% Despite 10‑yr Yield
#mortgagespreads have allowed rates to get below 6% without the 10-year yield below 4% @housingwire @sarahteresa6 #realestate #housing #mortgagerates #chartdaddy

Beyond the Pipeline: Why Park City’s Growth Is a Function of Scale, Not Oversupply - By Katy Black
Park City is witnessing a surge of residential and hotel construction, highlighted by Deer Valley’s East Village project that will deliver 800 hotel rooms and 1,700 luxury units. The region’s skiable acreage will near 20,000 acres, outpacing the combined terrain...
Dallas Apartment Tower Sells To Kushner Cos.: The DFW Deal Sheet
Kushner Cos., the family firm of Jared Kushner, purchased the 28‑story, 330‑unit Eastline Residences luxury apartment tower in Dallas from Convexity Properties. The high‑rise has sustained roughly 95% occupancy since its 2021 delivery and posted about 4% rent growth over...
Toronto Starter Homes Cost $750k, Rent $2.4k
$750,000 purchase price with a $600k mortgage is a “starter home” in Toronto btw. Rents for $2,400/month.

Veris Residential Joins Wave of Apartment REIT Liquidations
Another one bites the dust ... Veris Residential becomes the latest apartment REIT sold or liquidated (18+ in the last 15 years vs. ~12 still remaining). Veris (6.6k units) is best known for its wildly high renter incomes ($480k or 10-12%...

Rate Launches RateFi to Make It Easier to Qualify for a Mortgage with Crypto Holdings
Rate has introduced RateFi, a new mortgage product that lets borrowers leverage their cryptocurrency holdings without liquidating them. The program treats verified crypto as both qualifying income and reserve assets, though any down‑payment must still be converted to U.S. dollars....

30‑Year Mortgage Falls Below 6%, Boosting Spring Buying
A nice little market selloff creates a flight to safety. And gets the 30-year fixed below that stubborn 6% threshold, finally. The key will be staying sub-6% to allow human psychology to work its magic during the spring home buying...
Industry Participants Have Pulte’s Ear in First Year at FHFA
Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request reveal that FHFA Director Bill Pulte met with a broad array of industry participants during the first seven months of his tenure. The schedule shows more than 150 engagements with banks,...
Short Takes: Expanded-Credit MBS From Redwood / MSRs on Offer / Rate Launches Crypto Option / Sales of New Homes...
Redwood introduced an expanded‑credit mortgage‑backed security, widening the pool of agency‑eligible assets as banks see their residential MBS holdings dip in Q4. Mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) are now being offered directly, reflecting heightened M&A activity that is reshaping the conventional...

Lower Prices Drive More Competition, February Mirrors Pre‑2020 Trends
How is the market? Here’s a look at closed sales so far in February that have sold above, below, and at the original list price. Do you see the trend? The lower the price, the more competitive it is. I...
UBS Upgrades Real Estate Stock Hit by AI Fears: 'Rare Buying Opportunity'
UBS upgraded commercial‑real‑estate adviser CBRE to Buy, lifting its 12‑month price target to $185, implying about 21% upside from the current price. The upgrade follows a sharp 20% two‑day plunge in February as investors feared AI could erode office‑space demand....

GHIG JV Approved for All-Electric Hotel in Boston’s Seaport District
Global Hospitality Investment Group (GHIG) and a partner have secured Boston Zoning Commission approval for a new all‑electric hotel on Anchor Street in the Seaport District. The 438‑room, 160,000‑sq‑ft property will join the existing Aloft and Element hotels, completing a...

Retail NNN Lease in Lake Charles, LA — 7 Brew Secures 1.11 Acres for 15 Years
M Square Commercial closed a 15‑year triple‑net lease for 7 Brew’s 510‑square‑foot drive‑thru coffee concept at 4735 Nelson Road, Lake Charles. The lease, effective August 11 2025, positions the brand on a high‑visibility corridor with 24,562 vehicles per day and direct access...
It’s a Buyer’s Market: America Has 44% More Home Sellers Than Buyers—A Near-Record Gap
In January 2026 the U.S. housing market recorded a near‑record imbalance, with 44% more home sellers than buyers – roughly 600,000 excess listings. This buyer’s market, defined by a gap exceeding 10%, has persisted since May 2024 and follows a...
Thailand’s Hotel Reality Check: More Rooms, Tougher Competition
Thailand’s hotel sector is adding 43,067 rooms through 167 projects, with Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya leading the pipeline. While demand continues to recover, supply growth now exceeds demand in many periods, tightening occupancy and ADR prospects. Luxury developments such as...

A 25-Basis-Point Decline in the Mortgage Rate Prices-In 1.42 Million Households
A 25‑basis‑point (0.25 percentage‑point) drop in mortgage rates could make monthly payments affordable for an estimated 1.42 million additional households, expanding the pool of qualified borrowers. Simultaneously, incorporating the lower operating costs of energy‑efficient homes into underwriting can deliver an equivalent 75‑basis‑point...

Nobu Hospitality to Debut Hotel and Private Island Residences in Maldives
Nobu Hospitality, in partnership with Sarat International, is launching its first Maldives property on the private island of Munyafushi in Laamu Atoll. The mixed‑use development will feature 26 beach villas, 30 overwater villas, and a collection of ten standalone Island...

Meritage Holds Market Amid Low Demand, Awaits Spring Sales
"our teams faced lower demand and aggressive local competition in Austin, San Antonio, parts of Florida, Northern California and Colorado. We deliberately chose to hold our ground in these markets and accept lower sales volumes as we look to the...
Affinius Deal Values Veris REIT at $3.4 B
Fuggetabout all that tsouris over investors claiming #Veris, fka #MackCali, w/undervaluing itself. #Affinius group in deal that values #REIT at $3.4B. #WallSt #multifamily #residential #VistaHill #realestate #CRE #Kushner https://t.co/W7mr3PhzY4

Rising Stamp Duty Receipts Show Levy Needs ‘Urgent Refresh’
Stamp Duty Land Tax receipts jumped 6% in January to £899 million, and annual collections rose 18% to £15.4 billion, driven by the 2024 reduction of the nil‑rate band to £125,000. The lower threshold now captures many transactions that were previously exempt,...
Unfunded Inclusionary Zoning Perpetuates Exclusion; Fund Affordable Housing
Unfunded "inclusionary" zoning is a recipe for permanent exclusion. It presupposes that rents/prices will always be high enough to cross-subsidize a tiny number of lottery-assigned affordable units. If you actually want affordable housing at scale, you have to fund it.
Vanbarton Leads Office‑to‑Residential Conversion Surge
The office>resi #conversion frenzy+#Vanbarton's central place in it. Boss #RichardACColes discusses that+other issues. #NYC #realestate #CRE #multifamily #MayorMamdani #467M #NoMad #mortgage https://t.co/ceQM1ZXDsf
Ziff Davis Inc (ZD) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Zillow Group reported Q4 2025 revenue of $654 million, an 18% year‑over‑year increase, and full‑year revenue of $2.4 billion, up 16%. Rentals surged 45% YoY, driven by a 63% jump in multifamily revenue, while mortgage revenue rose 39% and purchase‑loan origination volume...
Permits Drive 50% Premium, Blocking LA Housing Supply
Developers are willing to pay 50% more for land that already has permits to build in the city of Los Angeles: "Overall, our results suggest permitting is a major barrier to housing supply in Los Angeles"
Mortgage Rates Dip Below 6%, Lowest Since 2022
#Mortgage rates just dropped below 6%, matching lowest level since 2022 https://t.co/MSs7B1Npgs @mortgagenewsmnd @MG_MBS #realestate #realestateinvesting

Smaller, Smarter, and Outdoor-Oriented: How Builders Are Adapting to Changing Buyer Tastes
Builders are responding to affordability pressures and shifting demographics by delivering smaller, more efficient homes. The average new‑home size dropped to about 2,155 square feet in 2025, roughly 300 square feet less than a decade ago. Buyers now favor three‑bedroom...

Mortgage Rates
5-handle The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate today: 5.99% Same day last year: 6.89% ---------------------- 10-year treasury yield today: 4.03% Spread today: 196 bps

House Touring Rebounds but Remains at Five‑year Low
House touring is starting to recover after its abysmal start to 2026. But still at its lowest level in 5 years. https://t.co/MDoX4iIabJ

This Week’s Top Stories: Canadian Real Estate’s Hard Landing, Phone Bills Distort Inflation
Canadian home prices slipped 0.4% in January, pulling the national average back to February 2021 levels and pushing the sales‑to‑new‑listings ratio to a buyer‑dominated 36.4%. CIBC warns that while prices are below trend in Ontario and British Columbia, they remain...
Leverage Others' Retirement Accounts
I built most of my early portfolio using other people’s retirement accounts. Educating others about self-directed accounts can help you raise your own bank.
Warsh Chairmanship Could Push Mortgage Rates Near Zero
How low can mortgage rates go with tariff ruling and Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair? https://t.co/eEzHs3zcYh
IHG Hotels & Resorts Expands Luxury & Lifestyle Footprint in Egypt
IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with JADEER GROUP to develop a 140‑key Hotel Indigo in Cairo’s New Administrative Capital, slated for opening in 2033. The property will join IHG’s growing portfolio in Egypt, which already includes...

US Underwater Mortgages Climb to 2.1% Nationwide
100 major housing markets, one key question: How many homeowners are underwater? In total, 2.1% of outstanding U.S. homeowner mortgages are underwater—up from 1.3% a year ago. Here's where it's higher. ResiClub PRO report https://t.co/saZU0Ik4OD
Pending Sales Rebound, Prices Drop, Inventory Set to Rise
It was a good week - Weekly Pending sales back to year-over-year growth with new listings Other details - Price cut % is down over 1% year over year - Total active seasonal inventory increase should start soon

THE NON-HOTEL ACCOMMODATION SECTOR IN MAURITIUS IS RISING RAPIDLY
Tourism in Mauritius hit a record 1.44 million arrivals in 2025, generating Rs 103.4 billion in receipts. While hotel guests spend more per night, the non‑hotel accommodation segment—seasonal rentals, villas and apartments—offers longer stays, averaging 15 nights and a higher economic multiplier. Occupancy...

Limited Migration Saved
If the migration to a few states didn’t slow down this chart could have been worse. In this light, team higher rates won 🫡 https://t.co/YrBc6tLU0D

Spend $2K on Marketing, Not Rentals, for Bigger Returns
Instead of putting $2K a month into a rental hoping for $200 in cash flow, I’d rather put $2K into marketing and chase a $15K wholesale fee. Same money. Way bigger upside.

Skip Price Haggling, Leverage Seller Concessions for Savings
🏘️ Never Negotiate On Purchase Price 🤓 When you make an offer on a property, negotiating on the purchase price is not the best way to actually save money. Instead negotiate for seller concessions. You can use that to...

Superstar Cities Retain Elite, Middle Class Shifts South
Thanks to the logic of agglomeration economies, America's superstar cities will always centers of elite talent and the FOTB immigrants who serve them, but the middle class has moved en masse to the South and they've taken a lot of...

Cape Coral‑Fort Myers Housing Correction Eases Yet Persists
The housing correction in Cape Coral–Fort Myers, FL metro area has eased somewhat; however, it is still ongoing—particularly in its resale market Table via @ResidentialClub Data: Freddie Mac House Price Index, without seasonal adjustment https://t.co/Nh757FicBB

Small Sample Size Skews Market Percentage Claims
"Bro, the market is up by 20%." Nope. Be careful of the median price (or any price metric) in a small county. Being up 20.7% all of the sudden sounds really aggressive, but this is about a small sample size....

Builders Claim Flat Costs, Leverage Soft Market for Supplier Discounts
Toll Brothers: "Building costs are flat" That sentiment is widely shared among the big builders, as they use the softer residential construction environment—with multifamily completions having finally rolled over—as an opportunity to push suppliers for some pricing relief

Florida Gains Ground; Tampa Still Struggles, Toll Brothers Reports
Toll Brothers: "Florida seems to have found its footing, although Tampa remains challenged" 6 things to know from Toll Brothers’ latest earnings and earnings call ResiClub PRO https://t.co/UeLaeEXrxl

FHA Market Share Plummets From 30% to 10%
FHA used to be such a force at about 30% of the local market in 2009. Closer to 10% today. https://t.co/pb7ZHRoOTt
Out of Cash? Keep Closing by Thinking Differently
If you run out of money for deals, you don’t need to stop – you need to think differently.
Trump's Homebuying Ban Spares Build‑to‑rent and Fixer‑uppers
Trump's proposed institutional homebuying 'ban' includes 2 exemptions --> build-to-rent communities --> existing homes in need of significant repair https://t.co/iFD29f3UiD