Mortgage Refinance Demand Drops 18% as Rates Hit Highest Level Since August
Mortgage refinance demand slipped 18% week‑over‑week as the average 30‑year fixed rate climbed to 6.65%, the highest level since August 2025. Refinance applications now represent just 38% of total mortgage filings, the lowest share since June 2025. Purchase‑loan activity edged down 0.4%, with the average loan size reaching a survey high of $473,600. Overall mortgage‑application volume fell 8.5% from the prior week, signaling a broader slowdown in housing‑finance activity.
Student Housing Sector Records Sharp Rise in Investment
Investment in the UK purpose‑built student accommodation (PBSA) sector surged to over £5.6 bn (≈ $7.2 bn) between Q2 2025 and Q1 2026, a 46% jump from the prior year. The strongest quarter was Q1 2026, with £2.1 bn (≈ $2.7 bn) invested, the highest in three years. Occupancy...
Miami Multifamily Market Nose-Dives As Hopes For Supply Relief Fade
Miami’s multifamily market entered a sharp downturn in Q1 2026, with transaction volume dropping 18% to $972 million and the average price per unit falling 14% to $268 K, the lowest in over five years. Rent growth turned negative, slipping 4‑5% year‑over‑year...
Auction Sales Are Sliding, Banks Are Tightening Loans. But Is the Budget Really the only Factor?
The Albanese government’s budget introduced reforms to negative gearing and the capital‑gains‑tax discount, prompting several banks to tighten lending to property investors. Auction clearance rates have slipped to roughly 50‑60%, down from the historic mid‑60s average, while borrowing by both...
Lender Grabs Troubled SoHo Building From Madison Capital, Vornado: The N.Y. Deal Sheet
Capstone Equities acquired the 606 Broadway building in SoHo for roughly $50 million, half the $100 million price Madison Capital and Vornado had sought. The purchase follows a default on the $75 million Société Générale mortgage that matured in September 2024. At the end of...
Land Prices Are Rising Faster than Construction Costs in Bengaluru’s Key Realty Hubs: Industry Players
Bengaluru’s land market is accelerating, with prices in key IT corridors such as Whitefield, Sarjapur and the North‑East belt rising faster than construction costs. Shriram Properties reported a 287% jump to roughly ₹137 crore (≈$16.5 million) for a four‑acre Sarjapur parcel, underscoring...
Higher Mortgage Rates Are Pushing More Americans to Put Homeownership on Hold
Higher mortgage rates are cooling U.S. home‑buyer activity despite modest price gains in March. The average 30‑year fixed rate climbed to 6.51%, the highest level in nine months, prompting many prospective owners to pause and reassess affordability. Buyers are extending...
UK Prime Industrial Mid-Box Sector Sees Rising Rental Pressure as Supply Falls
The UK’s prime industrial mid‑box market is feeling heightened rental pressure as available space contracts. New speculative builds have slowed, leaving inventory about 8 % lower year‑on‑year, while e‑commerce and last‑mile delivery demand surge. Savills reports Q1 take‑up of 1.4 million sq ft...
Savills Reports Mid-Box Industrial Take-Up Hit 1.4m Sq Ft in Q1
Savills reports that mid‑box industrial take‑up reached 1.4 million sq ft in Q1 2026, underscoring strong demand for units between 20,000 and 100,000 sq ft. The segment posted the year’s strongest leasing start and is expected to stay resilient throughout 2026. Growth is driven by...
UK Commercial Property Sector Faces Valuation Pressure From Energy Standards
Fund managers surveyed by re:sustain report that UK commercial property valuations are slipping as many assets fail to meet tightening energy performance standards. The survey finds widespread declines, with investors citing EPC shortfalls and upcoming Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)...
Single-Family Built-to-Rent Slowed at Start of 2026
Single-family built‑to‑rent (BTR) construction slipped in Q1 2026, with starts dropping to roughly 14,000 units, down from 19,000 a year earlier. Over the past four quarters, total BTR starts fell 26% to 62,000, reflecting higher financing costs, rising multifamily supply,...
REITs Distribute over ₹8,900 Crore to Unitholders in FY26
India’s five listed REITs handed out over ₹8,900 crore (~$1.07 bn) to 425,000 unitholders in FY 2025‑26, a >50% year‑on‑year increase. The sector’s gross asset value topped ₹2.72 lakh crore (~$32.8 bn) and market capitalisation exceeded ₹1.7 lakh crore (~$20.5 bn) as of May 2026. In the March quarter the...
Recent Fall in Auction Clearance Rates Could Be Good News for First Home Buyers
Auction clearance rates slipped to 50.4% nationally in the week to May 17, before rebounding to 58.2% by the week ending May 24, according to Cotality data. The dip followed the federal budget’s announcement of changes to negative gearing and capital gains...
Home Prices Have Outrun Incomes Everywhere — Except in These 5 U.S. Cities
Redfin’s May 2026 study of the 50 largest U.S. metros identified five cities where a median‑income household can afford a home without exceeding the 30 % income threshold. Detroit leads with 77.5 % of listings affordable, followed by St. Louis (66.9 %), Pittsburgh (64.8 %), Cleveland...
Listing Prices Are Falling, but Resurgent Mortgage Rates Have Buyers Spooked
The national median listing price fell 2.3% year‑over‑year for the week ending May 16, marking the 18th consecutive week of declines, while the 30‑year fixed mortgage rate jumped to 6.51%, adding roughly $230 to monthly payments on a median‑priced home. Active...
The Magic Number when Nearly 60% of Recent Homebuyers Can Benefit From Refinancing
LendingTree’s latest study finds that 32.5% of homeowners who financed between 2023 and 2025 could save an average of $2,320 per year by refinancing at the current 6.37% rate. If mortgage rates retreat to the 6% threshold, the eligible pool...
Cain, Alchemy-ABR Score $321M Refi for Billionaires’ Row Office Tower
Cain International and Alchemy‑ABR secured a $321 million refinancing for the newly completed 125 West 57th Street tower, a 30‑story Class A office building on Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row. JPMorgan Chase provided the senior loan while Hudson Bay Capital supplied mezzanine financing, replacing a $250 million construction...
FIRST DRAFT LIVE: Is The CRE Recovery Over? MSCI's Chief Real Estate Economist Weighs In
The first half of 2026 saw a tentative rebound in commercial‑real‑estate activity, with capital returning and transaction volumes improving, suggesting a floor had been found. However, rising 30‑year Treasury yields—now at pre‑GFC highs—have increased borrowing costs, while billions in CRE...
Peachtree Group Provides $32M Construction Loan for Alabama Hotel
Peachtree Group originated a $32.36 million, three‑year construction loan— with two optional 12‑month extensions— for Spandrel Development Partners' 154‑room AC Hotel by Marriott in Huntsville, Alabama. The hotel will sit on a 4.67‑acre parcel inside Cummings Research Park, part of the...
Single-Family Home Size Posts Small Gains
New single‑family home sizes have plateaued in early 2026 after years of decline, with the median floor area holding at 2,211 sq ft and the average at 2,436 sq ft. Both metrics represent modest gains—over 3 % median growth since 2024 and a slight year‑over‑year...
HM's 2026 Voice of the Owner Survey
Hotel Management released its 2026 Voice of the Owner survey, offering a data‑driven snapshot of how hotel owners are navigating a volatile market. The report highlights shifting investment priorities, with owners favoring asset upgrades and sustainability initiatives over new acquisitions....
Term Sheet: Owner of Belgium’s Finance Tower Sues CBRE Loan Services, Patron Issues Its First Loans, Stoneweg Appoints Head of...
The owner of Belgium’s Finance Tower has filed a lawsuit against CBRE Loan Services, alleging the lender undervalued the property in a refinancing deal. The dispute centers on a valuation the owner claims is too low, potentially jeopardizing the building’s...
Eurofund Goes Shopping For Bradford Mall: The London Deal Sheet
Eurofund Group has acquired The Broadway shopping centre in Bradford for £74 million (≈ $94 million). The 56‑store complex, which attracts 11 million visitors a year, will receive a £10 million (≈ $12.7 million) investment to upgrade the customer experience and diversify the tenant mix. The centre...
Basel III Relief Could Turn Mortgage Bankers Into Bank Owners
The Basel III endgame proposal could dramatically lower the risk‑weighting of mortgage servicing rights (MSRs), potentially bringing it down from the current 250% to as low as 100%. Independent mortgage banks (IMBs) see this relief as a catalyst to restructure their...
The Non-Agency Market Is Bigger than You Think
At the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Secondary and Capital Markets Conference, panelists declared that non‑agency (non‑QM) mortgages have shed their niche label and now account for roughly half of new originations. Lenders such as Deephaven Mortgage report mainstream demand, while investors...
China’s Housing Slump Shows Signs of Bottoming Out. We’ve Been Here Before.
China’s long‑running housing crash may be stabilizing as Tier‑1 cities like Shanghai posted a 2% price rise from February to April, ending a 38% plunge that began in 2021. Yet the broader market remains burdened by an estimated 90 million empty...
Economics Lessons From Home Depot
Home Depot, the world’s largest DIY retailer, has long acted as a proxy for the U.S. housing market. Its sales slumped sharply in 2007, foreshadowing the subsequent housing crash, while the chain’s revenues surged after the COVID‑19 pandemic as homeowners...
CRE Sales Fall 33%, Reversing Q1 Momentum As Debt Costs Climb
Commercial real‑estate (CRE) sales plunged 33% year‑over‑year to $24.7 billion in April, erasing the 27% growth recorded in the first quarter. The decline coincides with a 10‑year Treasury yield surge to 4.6%, widening debt spreads and dampening financing appetite. Multifamily transactions...
British Land Portfolio Values Rise as Leasing Activity Strengthens
British Land reported that its property portfolio values have risen, driven by a noticeable uptick in leasing activity across its office and retail assets. The company now projects earnings per share of at least 30.5 pence (approximately $0.38) for the...
Virtus Duff & Phelps Real Estate Securities Fund Q1 2026 Commentary
U.S. listed real‑estate securities posted a 9.15 % year‑to‑date total‑return gain, outpacing the S&P 500. The Virtus Duff & Phelps Real Estate Securities Fund increased its data‑center REIT exposure, which delivered early‑2026 outperformance. Equinix, Digital Realty and Iron Mountain issued strong 2026 guidance...
Rocket, Redfin Roll Out Buyer Incentives and New Products
Rocket Companies and Redfin announced a joint incentive that can save eligible homebuyers and sellers up to $20,000 when they use a Redfin agent and finance through Rocket Mortgage. New buyers receive a 0.75% loan credit (up to $12,000) while...
New Build Prices Fall in Several UK Regions as Market Splits
New‑build home prices in the UK showed a split pattern between April 2025 and April 2026. Prices fell in Wales (from £385,488 to £365,789, about $480,000 to $457,000) and other regions, while London rose to £685,677 (~$857,000) and the East of England...
Industrial Realty Group, Sachem Capital Merge to Form $3.4B Industrial REIT
Industrial Realty Group (IRG) and Sachem Capital are merging to create IRG Realty Trust, a publicly traded REIT valued at roughly $3.4 billion. IRG will contribute about half of its 200 industrial assets, forming a portfolio of 98 properties worth $2.9 billion...
Naftali, Blavatnik Snag $374M Refi for Williamsburg Wharf
Miki Naftali and Len Blavatnik’s Williamsburg Wharf secured a $374 million refinancing from Barings, replacing earlier Bank OZK debt. The loan funds Phase 1, which comprises 89 condos, more than 500 apartments and 15,000 sq ft of retail across three towers. Over 70% of the...
Florida's Housing Market Posts Eighth Consecutive Month of Rising Sales
Florida’s housing market recorded its eighth straight month of year‑over‑year sales gains in April, with closed single‑family transactions rising 2.4% to 24,129 units and condo‑townhouse closings climbing 6.9% to 9,309 units. Median single‑family prices edged up 1.8% to $420,000 while...
How the Office Sector Rebound Is Shaping Intelligent Workspaces
South Africa’s office market is rebounding in 2026, with the national vacancy rate dropping from 12.5% to 11.7% and Grade‑A rents climbing 3.5% YoY, according to the Q4 2025 Rode Report. Redefine Properties mirrors the trend, cutting its portfolio vacancy to...
US Home Builder Sentiment Ticks up in May but Broad Pessimism Remains Prevalent
U.S. home‑builder sentiment rose modestly in May, with the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market index climbing to 37 from 34, yet it remains well below the neutral 50 threshold. The uptick surprised economists who expected the index to stay flat at its...
UK Housing Market Faces Strain as Bond Yields Rise and Labour Tensions Grow
UK housing market faces renewed strain as 10‑year gilt yields breached 5 %, the highest level since 2008. The yield surge, driven by inflationary pressure from volatile energy prices and political uncertainty around Labour’s leadership, is pushing mortgage rates higher. Knight...
BTL Landlord Buying Activity Rises as Homes Change Hands Within Investor Market
Landlord activity in Great Britain reached its highest level since 2016, with investors accounting for 13.3% of all residential purchases between January and April 2026. The surge is driven mainly by landlord‑to‑landlord transactions, as larger investors acquire properties from smaller...
Housing Market Silver Linings: Why Homebuyers Are Finding Relief Despite ‘Inflation Contagion’
Despite persistent inflation contagion eroding real wages, the U.S. housing market shows several bright spots. Mortgage rates nudged lower to 6.36% in mid‑May, keeping borrowing costs near the six‑percent threshold. Existing‑home sales edged up 0.2% to 4.02 million units, while sellers...
Hollywood Multifamily Sale Reaches Three-Year High in Pricing
Colliers brokered the sale of Sophia Hollywood, a 28‑unit Class A multifamily complex in Los Angeles, for approximately $16 million—about $571,000 per unit, the highest price per unit in Hollywood in over three years. The property’s newer construction, condominium‑quality design, and larger floor...
Credit for Builders Tightens in the First Quarter, But Only Slightly
Credit conditions for residential land acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) loans tightened slightly in Q1 2026, with the NAHB net‑easing index at –2.7, the closest to zero in four years. The Federal Reserve’s Senior Loan Officer Survey showed a –4.9 reading,...
Transit-Linked Office Demand Lifts Parts of Toronto Market: JLL Canada Report
JLL Canada’s latest Toronto Office Market Dynamics report links the newly opened Eglinton Crosstown LRT to a sharp drop in office availability, which fell from 26.9% in 2024 to 21.9% in early 2026. The transit corridor is spurring demand for...
Super League Enterprise Inc (SLE) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
SL Green Realty Corp. posted record first‑quarter leasing activity, signing 51 leases covering 930,000 square feet and achieving rent spreads 16% above prior fully‑escalated rates. The REIT lifted its year‑end occupancy target to 95% as trophy‑building vacancy fell to 3.4%...
California People and Company News, Week of May 15, 2026
California’s commercial real‑estate landscape saw a flurry of senior appointments and technology rollouts this week. Marcus & Millichap hired Michael Puline, a former Blackstone portfolio leader, to steer its national retail advisory. Gantry elevated Alicia Sabanero in Los Angeles, while Transwestern...
Clipper Realty Inc (CLPR) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Getty Realty reported a 13.1% year‑over‑year increase in annualized base rent and a 6.8% rise in AFFO per share to $0.63 in Q1 2026. The company lifted its full‑year AFFO guidance to $2.50‑$2.52 per share while maintaining a 99.7% occupancy...
BNPP AM Alts Secures €3bn for European CRE Debt Strategy
BNP Paribas Asset Management Alternatives has closed a €3 billion (~$3.3 billion) capital raise for a new European commercial‑real‑estate (CRE) debt strategy. The fund will originate loans ranging from €50 million to €500 million, each secured by institutional‑quality assets. By targeting mid‑size, asset‑backed loans,...
European Commercial Property Recovery Builds on Income Gains in 2026
European commercial real estate posted a seventh consecutive quarter of gains in Q1 2026, with pan‑European fund values rising 0.7% to about $33 billion in assets. The uplift was driven primarily by stronger rental income, which added 1.0% to valuations, while a...
L.A.'s Surging Real Estate Prices Have Cooled, so Why Is Nobody Buying Condos?
Los Angeles condo sales plunged to a 20‑year low, with fewer than 2,000 units sold in January‑February 2026. Median condo prices slipped 4.5% year‑over‑year to roughly $665,000, while single‑family homes fell only 1.6%. The slowdown reflects stubbornly high mortgage rates,...
Overpricing Leaves Nearly Half of Listed Homes Unsold
Zoopla’s three‑year analysis of UK listings shows that 44% of homes remain unsold, with overpricing identified as the chief cause. Sellers who list 5% above local market values see a roughly 5% drop in sale probability, and a 10% premium...