Today's Real Estate Pulse
Chinese Buyers Set Record with $5.5B Hong Kong Property Purchases in Q1 2026
Mainland Chinese investors spent roughly HK$43 billion ($5.5 billion) on Hong Kong real estate in the first quarter, covering apartments to fractional office stakes. Beijing’s new capital‑control measures aim to curb large overseas cash transfers, threatening the momentum of the record‑setting spree.
Also developing:
Banyan Group Enters U.S. Market with West Palm Beach Residential Launch
Singapore‑based Banyan Group announced the launch of Banyan Tree Residences West Palm Beach, its first branded residential development in the United States. The 88‑unit tower, built with Mast Capital and Curated JCZM Development, targets luxury buyers seeking resort‑style living in an urban setting. Designed by OMA, Yabu Pushelberg and Enzo Enea, the project emphasizes privacy, wellness and sustainability. Its location near CityPlace and the Intracoastal Waterway taps West Palm Beach’s growing appeal as a high‑end residential market.
HPD Pledges Overhaul of Housing Lottery System
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced a comprehensive overhaul of its Housing Connect lottery platform, signaling a possible full replacement rather than incremental tweaks. Commissioner Dina Levy highlighted that the agency placed over 10,000 households...
Home-Buying Costs Are 4 Times What Buyers Expect
A January 2026 survey of 947 U.S. homebuyers revealed average upfront expenses of $31,502, roughly four times the $8,083 buyers expected. The cost breakdown includes $3,032 for moving, $5,719 in closing fees, $7,678 in seller concessions, and $15,073 for first‑year...
Do You Have Thoughts on Rental Fee-Related Regulations? Share Them with the FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened a public comment period on a proposed rule targeting unfair or deceptive rental‑fee practices. Stakeholders—including renters, landlords, and property‑management firms—are invited to share experiences, data, or suggestions about fee transparency. The FTC will...
Single-Family Home Inventory Rises 1.2% Weekly
3rd Look at Local Housing Markets in February Altos: Active single-family inventory was up 1.2% week-over-week https://calculatedrisk.substack.com/p/3rd-look-at-local-housing-markets-123
Senator Calls for FTC Investigation Into FICO Score Pricing
Senator Josh Hawley has asked the FTC to open an investigation into Fair Isaac Corp.'s (FICO) mortgage‑score pricing after documenting a 16‑fold jump from $0.60 to $10 per pull over five years. He argues the surge adds roughly $500 million in...
Toll Group Agrees Sale and Leaseback of Singapore Logistics Facility
Toll Group has entered a sale‑and‑leaseback deal for its 25 Loyang Crescent logistics hub in Singapore, selling the property to CapitaLand Ascendas REIT. The agreement includes a 12‑year triple‑net lease with an optional six‑year extension for the wharf and jetty...
How Automation Is Driving Demand for Industrial Real Estate in California
Automation is reshaping California's industrial real estate, turning warehouses and factories into high‑throughput, technology‑driven facilities. Tenants now prioritize power capacity, data connectivity, clear heights and flexible layouts over simple square‑footage metrics. This shift is driving stronger demand for sites in...
Canadian Homes Have Been Losing Money for a Decade
Canadian real estate is getting DEMOLISHED 🇨🇦 If you bought a principal residence in the last 10 years you lost money. Even if you bought all-cash you’re negative with inflation, property tax, insurance, and maintenance. And if you had interest payments, you’re even...
Gloucester Quays Unveils Restaurant Signings and New Arrival
Peel Retail & Leisure announced three new restaurant signings at Gloucester Quays: the French‑fusion Muse Brasserie (3,282 sq ft, 100 covers), COSMO’s world‑buffet Umami (7,263 sq ft, 243 covers) and casual Italian Banchina (5,252 sq ft, 132 covers). All three concepts are making their city debut,...
FiDi Condo Building Changes Hands in Secret $93M Sale
Eenhorn, a Grand Rapids‑based real‑estate investor, purchased the 62‑unit 1 Park Row condominium tower in Manhattan’s Financial District for $93 million. The building, originally developed by Circle F Capital, had been plagued by construction delays and a $50 million loan dispute before the sale. Units,...
Crocs Steps Into Caledonia Park
Crocs has signed a lease for a 1,754 sq ft outlet store at Caledonia Park in Scotland, slated to open in April. The outlet will showcase the brand’s core and seasonal collections, including clogs, sandals, slides and a dedicated Jibbitz™ charm personalization...
Cribbs Continues to Expand Dining Offering with Loungers Letting
Cribbs Mall in the South West has secured Loungers’ Picaro Lounge, signing a 15‑year lease for a 4,600‑sq‑ft space in its food court. The new venue, part of Loungers’ 250‑location chain, aims to attract Gen Z diners with its brunch...
Montperia Files Plans for Borough Park Mixed-Use Project
Woodside‑based developer Montperia Group has filed a rezoning application to build a 13‑story, 150‑unit mixed‑use development at 900 60th Street in Brooklyn’s Borough Park. The project, spanning 108,000 sq ft, will feature 35‑42 permanently affordable units for households earning 60‑80% of area median income, 5,500 sq ft...
‘Playmakers’: The Brokerage Strategy That’s Losing Steam
Jack Miller, CEO of T3 Sixty, warned that the traditional "everything to everybody" brokerage model is losing steam as the housing market cools and consolidation accelerates. He highlighted the rapid Compass‑Anywhere merger as a sign of a favorable regulatory climate, but...
Reason for Optimism: Why One Agent Expects a ‘Healthy’ Spring Despite Market Volatility
Despite record‑high contract cancellations and a 630,000‑seller surplus, Coldwell Banker agent Maria Kourepenos remains optimistic, forecasting a steady, healthy spring season. She cites persistent buyer interest, though consumers are more deliberate amid rate volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. Limited inventory in...
Metrobloks Announces Plans for Three-Building Data Center Campus in Kansas City, Missouri
Metrobloks announced a $1.4 billion investment to build a three‑building, 568,800 sq ft data‑center campus on 29 acres in Liberty, Missouri. The first 177,000 sq ft building has secured planning permission, and the project will create about 30 high‑skill jobs. Metrobloks, backed by equity partners...
Here's How Developers Are Trying To Reduce The Cost Of Conversions
Developers in Washington, D.C. are buying under‑priced office buildings and converting them into residential apartments to sidestep the scarcity of new multifamily projects. By reusing existing infrastructure such as underground parking and designing larger, fewer units, they trim capital expenditures...
Microsoft Agrees to Lease 700MW at Crusoe's Data Center in Abilene, Texas - Report
Microsoft has signed a lease for roughly 700 MW of data‑center capacity at Crusoe’s Abilene, Texas campus. The deal follows Oracle and OpenAI’s decision to scale back their planned 2 GW expansion at the site to 1.2 GW. With two buildings already operating,...
Ares Buying 36 Industrial Properties From EQT For $650M
Ares Management is purchasing 36 industrial warehouses from EQT Real Estate for more than $650 million, marking its second major acquisition from the seller in four months. The transaction includes 7.3 million square feet of space, financed with a $500 million two‑year floating‑rate...
Massachusetts Ballot Pushes Rent Control and Tax Cut Spark Housing Policy Clash
A labor‑backed rent‑control measure and a business‑driven income‑tax cut are slated for the November ballot in Massachusetts. The rent proposal caps annual increases at 5% and exempts new buildings for ten years, while the tax cut would lower the personal...
The Sad Story of Holmes Towers
In May 2017, New York City Housing Authority approved a $25 million, 99‑year lease with Fetner Properties to replace the deteriorating John Haynes Holmes complex with a 47‑story, 50 percent affordable tower and new playground. A vocal minority of tenants, backed by local politicians,...
Sacramento Listings See Rising Cancellations, Condos Hit Hardest
Some listings don’t make it to the finish line, and cancellations are slightly higher this year so far in the Sacramento region. Why are some listings canceling? And why are condos struggling more?
ENote, AI, Servicing, Data Tools; Trigger Lead Adjustments; FICO Investigation; Home Price Appreciation Is Complicated
Home‑price appreciation has stalled, leaving prices over 50% above early‑decade levels but showing near‑flat annual gains. Affordable‑housing construction is accelerating, yet developers face layered financing that mixes tax credits, subsidies and private capital. The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act curtails trigger...
Marcus & Millichap Brokers $18.7 Million Sale of Sherwin-Williams Retail Portfolio in Three States
Marcus & Millichap facilitated the sale of an 11‑property Sherwin‑Williams retail portfolio for $18.7 million across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The assets comprise roughly 55,590 rentable square feet and include locations such as Bemidji, Duluth, Bismarck and Sioux Falls. Prior to...
Third-Party Ownership and Strong Market Fundamentals Drive ‘New Shape of Solar’ in US Residential Sector
The Aurora Solar Snapshot shows third‑party ownership (TPO) models have become the leading financing choice for U.S. residential solar, with 55% of installers favoring PPAs or leases over loans and cash. The shift follows the Trump administration’s rollback of Inflation...
Iran War Drives Up Gas, Food, Housing Costs
The war in Iran may seem like 7,000 miles away, but it’s arrived here- showing up at the pump, in your grocery bill, and in a housing market that’s only getting harder to afford. More in my newsletter, ‘This War...
Amazon Adding 112K-SF Warehouse to Orlando-Area Holdings
Amazon announced plans to construct a 112,000‑square‑foot warehouse on a 45‑acre site in Titusville, Florida, near the Indian River. The facility is expected to support Amazon Leo, the company’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellite broadband network, following FCC approval for 3,236 satellites. Amazon...
Biophilic Acoustic Solutions for High-Ceiling Buildings: What Owners and FMs Should Know
High‑ceiling spaces suffer from echo and reverberation, prompting architects to turn to biophilic design for acoustic relief. Living walls, moss panels, and porous natural materials diffuse and absorb sound while boosting indoor air quality. Combining these green solutions with conventional...
Portman Adding 330 Rental Units to Savona Mill Project
Portman Holdings is expanding its Savona Mill adaptive‑reuse development in Charlotte with a Phase II add‑on of 330 multifamily units. The historic 108‑year‑old mill, which already delivered 319 apartments in Phase I, will also feature eight townhome pads and extensive amenities. Construction...
$134M Gainesville Port to Open in May
Georgia Ports Authority is set to launch a $134 million inland port in Gainesville this May, designed to handle up to 200,000 containers annually once fully built. The site will be anchored by a 540,000‑square‑foot warehouse from Alliance Industrial and a...
Rising Mortgage Rates Threaten Struggling Canadian Housing Market
If Mortgage Rates Keep Rising What Happens To The Canadian Housing Market? We have seen some Fixed Mortgage Rates rise nearly 20% since the Middle East War began: depends on which Bank & length of term Important: the War could end Friday...
February 2026 Erdmann Housing Tracker Update
Core CPI excluding shelter has hovered near a 2% annual rate for almost four years, while rent inflation is finally showing signs of moderation. The article argues that continued new home construction is essential to keep rent growth in check....
Beginner’s Blueprint: Analyze Rents, Expenses, and Market Before Buying
Let’s say you’re a beginner looking at a new market for the 1st time Figuring out where to start can be daunting Here’re the steps you should take so you can start buying deals 1. Source market rents 2. Understand expense load 3. Get to...
Oklahoma Has Over 200,000 Vacant Homes. None Are Affordable to Low-Income Families.
Oklahoma’s Housing Finance Agency reports more than 220,000 vacant homes, with roughly 39,000 listed for rent. However, virtually none meet affordability criteria for low‑income families, leaving a gap of over 80,000 rental units for the poorest households. The shortage stems...
Explaining This Week’s Mortgage, Oil, and Bond Turmoil
@housingwire @sarahteresa6 We try to explain the madness if this week with #mortgagerates #oil and #bonds with this conflict. #economics #chartdaddy
Almost Half of the Owner-Occupied Homes Built Before 1980
Nearly half of U.S. owner‑occupied homes were built before 1980, pushing the median home age to 42 years in 2024, up from 31 years in 2005. New construction from 2020‑2024 added just 3.6 million units—only 4% of the total stock—while homes...
Thrift’s Next Chapter: From Trade-Down Trend to Retail Mainstay – Placer.ai Blog
Thrift retail is transitioning from a niche discount option to a mainstream apparel channel, driven by value, discovery, and younger, digitally savvy shoppers. Foot‑traffic data shows thrift stores have posted consistent visit growth since Q1 2025, surpassing both traditional and luxury...
U.S. Housing Market Flips: Record Seller Surplus
🚨 The U.S. housing market just flipped. There are now 630K more sellers than buyers, which is the largest gap on record.
UK Requires Heat Pumps, Solar for New Homes; Govee Unveils Smart Lights
The UK government announced that every new home built after 2028 must feature a heat pump and solar panels, while smart‑lighting company Govee released Outdoor Chromatic String Lights that let users program each bulb individually. The twin developments signal accelerating...
Big Stage
Jason Saft, founder of Staged To Sell Home, detailed his Tuesday routine from a 20‑minute bike ride to the Industry City warehouse to prepping design vignettes for a high‑profile Cobble Hill residence. He highlighted a forthcoming home‑tour shoot at the...
Food Lion to Open New Store in Simpsonville, S.C., on March 25
Food Lion will open its fifth Simpsonville, S.C., store on March 25, expanding its local footprint and marking the fourth new opening in Q1 2026. The 30,000‑square‑foot supermarket offers an omnichannel experience with in‑store, pickup and delivery options via the...
Zillow Reaffirms 2026 Targets, AI Boosts $5B Revenue
Macro: Zillow reaffirms 2026 targets, AI-driven mid-cycle $5B revenue, 45% EBITDA. Key: strong margins, cash>debt, buybacks. Risk: housing normalization. Trade: buy on pullback. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Housing Act Will Reduce Housing Supply
Good news for pro-housing and pro-science peeps. Bad news for NIMBYs. ROAD to Housing Act = ROAD to Less Housing.
14% of Home-Sale Agreements Fell Through Last Month–A Record for February
Redfin’s February 2026 analysis shows 42,000 U.S. home‑sale contracts—13.7% of pending deals—fell through, the highest February share on record since 2017. Cancellations spiked in buyer‑friendly metros such as Tampa (18.1%) and San Antonio (17.9%), while seller‑tight markets like San Francisco...
U.S. Migration Shifts: Where Americans Are Leaving and Arriving
Americans are on the move. Where they are leaving and where they are going… https://t.co/Luy4qotAqp
Inland Markets Thrive, Ports Lag as Nearshoring Rises
TL;DR: Inland markets looking good, port markets less so. Nearshoring picking up steam. Great report by @CushWake, will put link below. https://t.co/srELQGxQpf
Housing Likely to Underperform Private Equity in Five Years
Predicting forward returns is notoriously difficult but setting expectations can be helpful Which asset class will have worse returns over the next 5 years: Housing or private equity? https://t.co/AbfW2cXe9G https://t.co/ig9j4zorjK
Florida Housing: Extreme Booms, Sharper Downturns
When it comes to housing, Florida doesn't do "average" It overheats more during booms—and corrects more during downturns Florida is the epicenter of the boom-bust phenomenon https://t.co/q5q3SyDu44
Florida Housing Downturn Softens After Post‑pandemic Boom
The intensity of Florida's post-pandemic housing boom correction is easing Softness—and even outright weakness—remains across parts of Florida’s housing market. However, the intensity of the downturn in Florida has eased over the past 6 months