Freddie Mac's Former Chief Charts Path to GSE Capital Reform
Former Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton argues that the government‑sponsored enterprises (GSEs) can achieve capital reform faster by lowering minimum capital standards and using the 2018 Enterprise Regulatory Capital Framework (ECRF) as a template. He cites the Trump administration's executive order to expand mortgage credit as implicit support for reduced capital requirements. Layton warns that while political friction exists, a lower minimum may encounter less opposition from lenders, builders, and home sellers than raising standards. Analysts estimate it could take 7‑10 years of retained earnings for GSEs to meet today’s standards.
Lenders Backed Big Manhattan Office Towers in February
Lenders poured over $2.5 billion into Manhattan’s top‑tier office assets in February, with Brookfield and Olayan each securing $800 million refinancings and Vornado obtaining a $525 million loan. The deals featured higher‑interest rates near 5.9 percent but were backed by strong occupancy and fresh...
EQT Sells 7.3m Sq Ft US Logistics Portfolio to Ares Fund
Swedish private‑equity firm EQT has sold a 7.3 million‑square‑foot U.S. logistics portfolio to Ares Management’s real‑estate fund. The assets are located across major distribution hubs and key transport corridors, strengthening Ares’ presence in high‑growth supply‑chain locations. Financial terms were not disclosed,...
TD Slashes 2026 Housing Forecast as Ontario, BC Face Sharper Pain
TD Economics has sharply revised its Canadian housing outlook, now projecting a 1.8% year‑over‑year decline in national home sales and a 0.3% drop in average prices for 2026, reversing its previous bullish forecasts. The downgrade is most severe in Ontario,...
Falling Home Prices Offer a Window as Mortgage Interest Rates Edge Higher
Home prices continued to slip in the spring, with the median list price falling 1.9% year‑over‑year—the 22nd straight week of flat or negative growth. Inventory rose 7.8% year‑to‑date, though the pace of new listings remains 3.4% below last year’s level....
NYC’s Top Deals: Pontiac Land Group Sells MoMA Tower Condo for $13M
Pontiac Land Group’s flagship condo at 53 West 53rd Street sold for $12.8 million, under its $15.3 million asking price, marking the day’s top residential transaction. The largest commercial deal recorded was a $126.4 million sale of four mixed‑use properties across Brooklyn, the Bronx and...
Hong Kong Home Prices Jump to Near 2-Year Peak
Hong Kong’s second‑hand home price index rose 1.6% in February, reaching a 22‑month peak and extending an 11‑month streak of gains. The rally comes amid tightening supply, with private residential completions projected to fall 35% from the 2024 peak by...
RHB Downgrades S-Reits to ‘Neutral’ as Middle East Conflict Dims Hope for Rate Cuts
RHB downgraded its call on Singapore REITs to neutral from overweight, citing the Iran‑Israel conflict’s impact on global bond yields and delayed rate‑cut expectations. Analysts now see the U.S. Federal Reserve postponing its first cut until 2027, while European and...
BLOG: What Next for the Property Market as the Economy Falters?
The UK property market shows muted activity as the economy stalls, with transaction volumes thinning and prime London prices slipping 20‑25% while the £1‑3 million (≈$1.25‑$3.75 million) segment has softened about 10%. Despite the slowdown, there is no flood of distressed sales;...
Refinancing Your Mortgage? Here’s Why a Professional Home Appraisal Is Step One
Before refinancing, a professional home appraisal establishes the true market value of the property, which directly influences the loan‑to‑value (LTV) ratio. In a typical scenario—a $900,000 CAD home (≈ $657,000 USD) with a $500,000 CAD mortgage (≈ $365,000 USD)—the LTV sits around 56%, positioning...
London Luxury Property Market Shows ‘Renewed Confidence’ After Years of Slowdown
Carter Jonas’ Spring 2026 luxury market update shows London’s high‑end residential sector rebounding after a sharp 2025 slowdown. Transaction volumes fell about 65% year‑over‑year, with total investment dropping from £7.8 billion (≈$10 billion) to roughly £2.2 billion (≈$2.8 billion). The upcoming High‑Value Council Tax surcharge,...
JP Morgan Looks for Business Rates Discount to Unlock £3bn Canary Wharf Office Project
JP Morgan Chase is negotiating a business‑rates incentive with Tower Hamlets, the Mayor of London and the UK government to move forward with its £3 billion (≈$3.8 billion) Canary Wharf office tower. The 3‑million‑sq‑ft development would house up to 12,000 staff and serve...
IPA Capital Markets Arranges $31M Financing for Nebraska Apartments
IPA Capital Markets, a Marcus & Millichap division, arranged a $31.61 million refinancing for The Flats at Leighton District, a 234‑unit multifamily complex with ground‑level retail in Lincoln, Nebraska. The loan carries a five‑year term, full‑term interest‑only payments and a fixed...
Hanover Capital Refis Long Island City Retail Property With $26M Loan
Hanover Capital provided a $25.8 million refinancing loan for Vorea Group’s 52,578‑square‑foot retail development at 10‑04 Borden Avenue in Long Island City. The property, opened in 2024, is 100 percent leased to experiential anchors iFly and Vibe Fitness. Hanover highlighted the asset’s proximity to...
Homeownership Costs Consume Nearly 100% of Typical Wages in These Coastal Markets
ATTOM’s Q1 2026 affordability index shows homeownership costs in coastal markets are swallowing nearly a full year of typical wages. Kings County, New York tops the list at 108.6%, while Santa Cruz, Marin, San Luis Obispo and Orange counties in California range from 88% to...
Why Prices For D.C.-Area Retail Properties Are Spiking Right Now
Retail property prices in the Washington, D.C. metro are soaring, with the average price per square foot jumping 27.2% in 2025—far above the 12.3% national increase. The surge follows a 30% decline in 2023‑24 and is fueled by strong consumer...
Lenders: Chase Affordability Gains Before Rates Climb Further
In February, 30‑year fixed mortgage rates slipped below 6%, pulling the industry average to 5.98% and nudging the Mortgage Bankers Association's Purchase Applications Payment Index (PAPI) down to $2,061. The modest decline reflected lower borrower payments despite slightly larger loan...
Cold Storage Trough in Sight as Vacancies Hit 20-Year High
U.S. cold‑storage vacancy rates have surged to a 20‑year high as pandemic‑driven overbuilding meets slowing consumer spending. Despite the excess supply, the sector logged about 3.5 million sq ft of net absorption in 2025, indicating resilient demand. Newmark reports the development pipeline has...
Rent Guidelines Board Says Buildings’ Net Income Climbed by 6%
The Rent Guidelines Board released its annual Income and Expense Study showing net operating income for rent‑stabilized buildings rose 6.2% nominally (about 2.2% after inflation) between 2023 and 2024. Gains were uneven: Manhattan’s core districts posted a 10% increase, while...
REITs’ Decent 2026 Start Could Bode Well for This ETF
Real estate investment trusts posted a 10.5% total return in the first two months of 2026, the second‑strongest start since 2006, and were up 7.6% YTD as of March 16 despite geopolitical headwinds. Nareit’s research shows that in the four...
Los Angeles Soundstages Stay One-Third Empty as Slump Continues
Los Angeles soundstages remain about one‑third vacant, with average occupancy holding at 62% in the first half of 2025, virtually unchanged from 2024. Despite a modest 5% rise in projects on participating stages, new facilities such as East End Studios’...
Landsec Slaps £450m Price Tag on Flagship Piccadilly Circus Island Site
Landsec has put its iconic one‑acre Lucent site at Piccadilly Circus up for sale with a guide price of £450 m (approximately $570 m), the largest West End freehold transaction since 2022. The mixed‑use development offers 188,000 sq ft total, including 126,000 sq ft of office...
CenterSquare’s Todd Briddell Highlights Alpha Opportunity, Innovation in REIT Market
CenterSquare Investment Management CEO Todd Briddell told the REIT Report podcast that the firm’s three‑decade REIT strategy thrives on embracing market volatility as a source of alpha. He highlighted how disciplined underwriting, defensive positioning and a willingness to “not get over...
JW Marriott Marco Island Sold for $835M, Signaling Surge in Florida Luxury Tourism Investment
The JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort was sold for approximately $835 million in cash to Sculptor Diversified Real Estate Income Trust. The 800‑room property boasts three miles of private beach, over 100,000 sq ft of event space and a recent $320 million renovation....
QuadReal Ramps Up Self-Storage With £280M Acquisition: The London Deal Sheet
QuadReal Property Group has agreed to buy a 27‑asset, 1.2 million‑square‑foot self‑storage portfolio in the UK for £280 million (≈ $350 million). The deal creates a joint venture with Clear Sky Capital, in which QuadReal holds a 95% interest and will inject an additional...
North-South Divide Hits Buy-to-Let, Paragon Data Reveals
Paragon Bank’s latest data shows a pronounced regional shift in UK buy‑to‑let activity, with the Midlands and North now accounting for just over half of purchases, up from under 35% in 2015, while the South’s share fell to 38%. The...
Mortgage Rates Near 6-Month High — but Here’s How Much Worse It Would Be without Freddie and Fannie’s Bond Buying
Mortgage rates have climbed to a six‑month high of 6.48% on Wednesday, up from the 5.9% low seen in January. The surge follows the Iran conflict that began in late February, reigniting market volatility. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae’s $200 billion mortgage‑bond purchase...
Ray White Report Shows Land Value, Harvest Correlation
Ray White’s 2024‑25 farmland research shows that Australia’s strong grain harvest did not uniformly lift dry‑land cropping values, with regional divergences driven by commodity prices and higher borrowing costs. While Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia saw median prices rise...
Ido Berniker: Inside the World of Luxury Real Estate Power Deals
Ido Berniker, founding member of Mercer Partners International, is a leading advisor to ultra‑high‑net‑worth investors in luxury real estate. He has brokered marquee deals at New York’s 220 Central Park West and London’s 1 Hyde Park, leveraging deep insight into global...
London Lettings Market Shows Early Signs of Spring Recovery
Foxtons reports that London’s lettings market is showing early signs of a spring‑time rebound after a winter lull. While renter registrations remain below last year’s levels, they have risen from winter lows and budgets are broadly unchanged, indicating stable affordability...
Thinktank Proposes New ‘Starter Deposit’ Scheme for First-Time Buyers
The Resolution Foundation’s new report proposes a government‑funded “Starter Deposit” equity loan that would provide up to $3,800 toward a five‑percent down payment for priority first‑time buyers. It identifies roughly one million low‑ and middle‑income households that struggle to meet...
Trident Provides Financing for Future Tesla Supercharger Site
Trident Capital Partners has extended a $3 million, 18‑month full‑recourse loan to finance a future Tesla Supercharger station in Los Angeles. The loan, structured at a 55 % loan‑to‑value ratio, enabled the acquisition and redevelopment of a 0.52‑acre site in Studio City...
Ilan Bracha Scoops up Scribner Sidekick After Thor Flop
Ilan Bracha’s IB Global closed on the 15,000‑square‑foot Scribner sidekick at 3 East 48th Street for $9.5 million after the property fell into a lender‑driven foreclosure. The sale follows Thor Equities’ 2020 default on a $105 million CMBS loan that once financed...
Seriously Delinquent Loans Hit Highest Level Since 2022
The national mortgage delinquency rate ticked up to 3.72% in February, driven by a 3% rise in seriously delinquent loans—the highest level since June 2022. Pre‑payment speeds accelerated as rates fell, yet cure activity for loans 90 days or more...
Citigroup's Seasoned Mortgage Pool Secured $1 Billion in RMBS
Citigroup’s Mortgage Loan Trust issued a $1 billion residential mortgage‑backed securities (RMBS) transaction, CMLTI 2026‑RP1, backed by seasoned loans originated in 2019 or earlier. The pool shows strong performance, with 90.3% of loans maintaining a clean payment history and a low delinquency...
M&T Bank Deploys $138M for Philly Affordable Housing Project
M&T Bank is providing a $62.1 million construction loan and a $30.2 million tax‑credit equity investment as part of a $137.5 million financing package for the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Westpark Redevelopment. The project will deliver 327 mixed‑income units, including 190 affordable apartments for...
Office Pain Eases as Builders Pause and Conversions Pick Up
US office market shows early stabilization as new construction slows and adaptive‑reuse conversions rise. Vacancy fell to 17.6% in February, a 200‑basis‑point improvement, while average asking rents slipped to $32.79 per square foot. Manhattan topped sales with nearly $1.6 billion year‑to‑date,...
Pension Funds, Life Insurers Increase MBS Holdings in 4Q
Pension funds and life insurers significantly increased their holdings of mortgage‑backed securities in the fourth quarter. The shift reflects a search for higher yields as Treasury rates stay low and the MBS market offers relatively attractive risk‑adjusted returns. Meanwhile, policy...
Geopolitical Tensions Hit European Real Estate Sentiment Despite Q4 Gains
European commercial‑real‑estate markets posted solid Q4 performance, with total asset values rising and transaction volumes up, according to INREV data. However, the INREV sentiment index fell for the first time this year, reflecting heightened geopolitical risk from the Ukraine war,...
Jay Group Scores $300M Refi for DoBro Project
The Jay Group secured a $300 million refinancing loan from Affinius Capital for its 102 Fleet Place development in Downtown Brooklyn. The debt will fund the completion of the 30‑story, 495‑unit luxury multifamily tower and support lease‑up activities. The project, located near...
Khan and Government Confirm Emergency Measures to Kickstart London Housebuilding
The UK government and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan have unveiled an emergency package to revive stalled affordable‑housing projects in the capital. Housing starts have collapsed from 26,386 in 2022‑23 to just 4,522 in 2024‑25, prompting fast‑track planning for schemes delivering at...
Co-Living ‘Microapartments’ Cost Half as Much to Build as Typical Studios
A Pew and Gensler study finds converting office buildings into small co‑living microapartments costs between $123,300 and $238,700 per unit, roughly half the $400,000 price of a new studio in high‑cost U.S. cities. The design places private units along exterior...
Garry Marr: In Canada's Great Downsizing Debate, Staying Put Still Has the Upper Hand
Fitzrovia, a Canadian rental giant with $11 billion in assets, is targeting the growing senior‑down‑sizer segment by offering resort‑style apartments that blend larger units with upscale amenities. Toronto’s 55‑74‑year‑old household count has risen 65 % over two decades, yet many older owners...
Cloudbeds’ 2026 State of Independent Hotels Report Reveals Tightening Margins, Shifting Traveler Behavior, and Rising OTA Dominance
Cloudbeds released its 2026 State of Independent Hotels Report, analyzing 90 million bookings across 180 countries for 2025 performance. Independent hotels saw occupancy dip 0.6% and ADR and RevPAR fall 5.8% and 5.4% respectively, while OTA bookings rose to 63.4% of...
Italian Residential Mortgage Market Update 2026
Recent data shows Italy’s residential mortgage market is evolving as house-price growth slows but remains relatively sticky compared with other European economies. Affordability for Italian households is currently better than in many neighboring markets, bolstered by a growing share of...
Cost of Building London Skyscrapers up 40% Since 2020, Report Shows
Construction costs for London skyscrapers have surged 40% since 2018, outpacing most global peers and trailing only New York. Office shell‑core expenses now range from $6,900 to $8,700 per square metre, roughly $6,440‑$8,125 after converting the cited £ figures. The report...
Webinar: Europe’s Housing Markets in a Volatile World
ING is hosting a 45‑minute webinar on 1 April to examine Europe’s residential real‑estate landscape amid higher‑for‑longer interest rates, persistent supply shortages, and shifting regulations. The discussion will focus on the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, while also addressing energy‑price volatility linked...
IHIF Berlin 2026: Global Investors Redefine Hospitality Returns Amid Iran Crisis and Rising Protests
Global investors, hotel operators and asset managers converged in Berlin for the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) EMEA 2026, drawing about 2,500 delegates and charging up to €4,500 ($4,900) per ticket. The summit framed hospitality as a resilient, institutional‑grade asset class,...
German Housing Market Likely to Bend, Not Break
German house prices rose 3.2% in 2025, bringing the market back into positive growth after two years of decline, yet they remain about 8% below the 2022 peak. Quarterly price momentum slowed sharply, with only 0.1% growth in Q4 2025,...
AEW UK REIT Weighs All-Share Offer for Alternative Income REIT
AEW UK REIT has entered early‑stage talks to pursue an all‑share acquisition of Alternative Income REIT. The boards of both companies disclosed that discussions are preliminary and no definitive offer has been made. If completed, the transaction would combine AEW’s...