Today's Real Estate Pulse
Berkshire Hathaway to Acquire U.S. Homebuilder in $6.8B Deal
Berkshire Hathaway, now led by CEO Greg Abel, announced a $6.8 billion acquisition of a U.S. homebuilder, marking the conglomerate’s first major entry into residential construction. The purchase is intended to add stable, long‑term cash flow from the housing sector to Berkshire’s portfolio.
Also developing:
By Charlotte Makes WA Debut, Opening Three Stores
Australian jewellery label By Charlotte is debuting in Western Australia with three new boutiques in Perth’s Karrinyup Shopping Centre, Claremont Quarter and Westfield Booragoon. The openings follow a rapid Victorian rollout that added four stores last year and bring the brand’s total Australian footprint to 14 locations. The stores feature a 360‑degree layout designed for personalized styling and gifting services. By Charlotte expects the physical presence to deepen customer relationships and complement its strong e‑commerce performance.
Helping Customers Build Wealth: How Investment Properties Help Homebuyers Get Ahead
Fortress Mortgage Advisors’ partners Craig Andriulli and Michael LiPari are urging first‑time homebuyers to view their primary residence as a stepping stone to investment properties. By using the equity in a newly purchased home, they help clients acquire vacation rentals...
Broker Shares How Poor Lender Communication Can Derail Mortgage Deals
Independent mortgage brokers rely on strong lender relationships to close deals efficiently. Recent insights from Edge Home Finance’s Nguyen Mai and RCG Mortgage founder Andrew Russell highlight that proactive, over‑communication from lenders—especially underwriters—can prevent bottlenecks and improve client outcomes. Speedy,...
Michigan Court Blocks Mortgage Holder From Claiming Tax-Foreclosure Surplus Proceeds
The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that Banyon Investments lost its claim to surplus proceeds from a tax‑foreclosure sale after missing required filing deadlines. Under the General Property Tax Act, mortgage holders must file a Form 5743 by July 1 and a...
Daily Chart Guidance Amid Volatile Oil and Bonds
No matter how crazy #oil and #bonds get, your friendly neighborhood #chartdaddy will guide you daily. #mortgagerates #economics
Avondale Global Gateway Named Recipient of Louisiana FastSites Investment
Avondale Global Gateway (AGG) has been named an inaugural recipient of Louisiana Economic Development’s FastSites investment, earmarked for a major rail‑capacity expansion. Since acquiring the former Avondale Shipyard, AGG’s parent T. Parker Host has turned the 275‑acre site into a...
385. Market Shocks: Oil Prices Reframe the Macro, Six Years Post-COVID, Self-Storage Consolidation, & Office Green Shoots
In this episode, the Trepp Wire team analyzes how a sudden energy shock—driven by the Iran‑Saudi conflict—has pushed oil above $100, reigniting inflation and reshaping CRE financing amid a still‑steady Fed rate hold. They revisit the March 2020 COVID disruption,...
Built a Multi‑Factor Tool for Choosing Where to Live
I had never seen a really robust tool that allowed me to set + weight all the things I might care about when picking a new place to live So over the past week I built it Sort by weather, crime, income,...
City Tackles Housing Crisis by Tracking Corporate Owners
The city that can't turn on electricity for new apartment developments is gonna solve its housing problems by tracking corporate ownership.
How to Market Your Property Management Services to Homeowners (Without Competing on Price)
Annie Holcomb argues that property managers should stop competing on commission rates and instead build trust through strong branding, honest market assessments, and consistent communication. She highlights that homeowners value transparency and personal connection over low prices, with honest managers...
New Home Prices Fall, Inventory Peaks Since 2009
Prices of New Single-Family Homes Drop Further, Inventory of Completed New Homes for Sale Highest since 2009. Hoping for lower mortgage rates that may not come https://t.co/xfMYbwdtVK https://t.co/ImauhfwDWA
Basel Reproposal's Impact on Non-Bank Mortgage Lenders
The Federal Reserve’s Basel III reproposal softens capital requirements for mortgage‑backed assets, notably easing the Tier 1 cap on mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) while keeping a 250% risk weight. It introduces LTV‑based risk‑weight tiers, dropping to 25% for loans under 50% LTV,...
Prioritize Retirement Savings over Apartment Down Payment
You’re 32, Software Engineer, NYC. $250k income. $350k retirement $250k brokerage. Do you max retirement/brokerage accounts or focus on saving for a $1M apartment down payment?
Lawler: Some Observations on the February Existing Home Sales Release
The National Association of Realtors moved its existing‑home‑sales release about ten days earlier, a change that Tom Lawler says will likely generate larger-than‑usual revisions. January’s non‑seasonally adjusted sales were revised up by 5,000 units, pushing the SAAR to 4.02 million from...
Builder Surplus Signals Coming Resale Slowdown, Owners Cling
One of the more interesting things in the housing market right now is the divergence between Builders and existing owners. Builders are now near 9 months of supply (heavy correction / near crash level) But existing owners are at only 4...
The Geography of Brick-and-Mortar Retail Foot Traffic in the United States – Placer.ai Blog
The Placer.ai analysis shows that U.S. brick‑and‑mortar retail foot traffic does not mirror population distribution. Sun Belt states such as Texas and Florida generate a larger share of visits than their population would predict, while coastal and Northeastern states under‑index....
What Eddie Bauer’s Bankruptcy Reveals About Retail in 2026 – Placer.ai Blog
Eddie Bauer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2026 and announced the closure of all its physical stores, shifting focus to online sales and wholesale partners. Data from Placer.ai shows a 9.7% year‑over‑year decline in store traffic in 2024, far...
30
I'd say a 6.50% 30-year fixed seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. When not if... That'd be the first time rates were that high since last summer. Pretty sure the housing market can't handle a return to 7%, not...
UTPro Dashboard Report: More Pre-Con, More Under Construction Across the GTHA
UrbanToronto’s UTPro dashboard for March 18, 2026 shows a modest rise in both pre‑construction and under‑construction activity across the Greater Toronto‑Hamilton Area. The number of projects in pre‑construction climbed to 3,609, representing about 1.435 billion square feet of gross floor area,...
Rent Is Too Damn High—And Trump Isn’t Taking It Seriously
Mike Quigley’s op‑ed highlights Chicago’s deepening housing affordability crisis, noting median home prices near $400,000 and a shortfall of over 224,000 affordable rentals. He points to a national supply gap of roughly five million homes as the root cause of...
Prudent Growth Partners Sells River Pointe Commons in Metro Atlanta for $6 Million
Prudent Growth Partners has sold River Pointe Commons, a 22,665‑square‑foot neighborhood center in Dallas, Georgia, for $6 million. The property, located about 30 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, was acquired by the firm in 2022 for $4.8 million and renovated in 2016....
Bringing Real Estate to the 21st Century, with Reannah Wyatt of the Real Time
Reannah Wyatt spent over a decade in residential real estate and witnessed Zillow’s launch, which proved technology could reshape the industry. While Zillow boosted her business, she realized no solution existed to track the entire real‑estate transaction from listing to...
Hormuz Strait Disruption Set to Add Rs 50‑150 per Sq Ft to South Mumbai Luxury Flats
Anarock Group says the Strait of Hormuz blockade is inflating construction inputs by up to Rs 150 per square foot, prompting developers to raise South Mumbai luxury flat prices by roughly 5%. The shock stems from higher steel, aluminium and freight...
On-Site with ICON: A Closer Look at 3D-Printed Homes
ICON, a 3D‑printing construction firm, is completing a 12‑home neighborhood in Austin’s Mueller district in partnership with large builder Lennar. The gantry‑style printer extrudes a proprietary on‑site concrete mix, allowing simultaneous installation of structural ties, openings, and reinforcement while the...
US New Home Sales Collapse
U.S. new‑home sales plunged in February, posting a 9.5% month‑over‑month decline—the steepest drop since 2013. The slowdown coincided with mortgage rates hovering above 7%, weakening buyer affordability. Builder confidence fell to its lowest level since 2020, and unsold inventory rose...
January New Home Sales Plunge, Prices Drop 13%
New Home Sales Decline Sharply to 587,000 Annual Rate in January Median New Home Price is Down 13% from the Peak due to Change in Mix https://calculatedrisk.substack.com/p/new-home-sales-decline-sharply-to
Maharashtra Panel Orders Lodha to Refund Rs 5 Crore to Homebuyers
The Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered Macrotech Developers (Lodha) to refund more than Rs 5 crore to a senior‑citizen couple after finding the developer guilty of deficient service and unfair trade practices. The ruling mandates repayment of Rs 2.83 crore plus 10%...
What’s Next for Retail in 2026: An Industry Perspective – Placer.ai Blog
Nearly 500 retail executives surveyed by Placer.ai indicate a cautiously optimistic 2026, with 55% confident in brick‑and‑mortar performance despite modest 1% visit growth. While 70% anticipate e‑commerce outpacing stores, a third remain more bullish on physical locations, underscoring a shift...
Supply Pullback Stabilizes Orange County Multifamily Market
Orange County’s multifamily market entered 2026 with moderated activity as developers sharply reduced new deliveries. Vacancy held steady at 3.8% while average asking rents slipped $9 but still rose 1.7% year‑over‑year. Fourth‑quarter 2025 saw a 26% drop in unit deliveries...
Texas Bankers Association Endorses Ascribe for Competitive Valuation Services
The Texas Bankers Association (TBA) announced its endorsement of Ascribe, a national valuation provider, granting its 400 member banks access to insured, competitively priced appraisal services. The partnership aims to streamline risk management and compliance for Texas lenders.
Landmark Properties Secures Approval for Birmingham PBSA Development
Landmark Properties has received planning approval for a purpose‑built student accommodation (PBSA) project in Birmingham, marking its second UK development. The approval follows the firm’s 2025 acquisition of a London asset, representing its first UK planning win. The Birmingham site...
Rising Immigration Inflames Rental Crisis
Australia’s Bureau of Statistics reported that net permanent and long‑term arrivals in January 2026 reached a record high, delivering the strongest annual migration growth on record. The influx adds thousands of new households to a rental market already strained by...
What Developers Call a Penalty, Politicians Call a Reward
The New York City 485x zoning amendment imposes a $40‑an‑hour wage floor on construction contracts for projects of 100 units or more, which developers argue acts as a penalty that reduces profitability and caps projects at 99 units. This wage...
Savills Rakes in £45m at March Resi and Commercial Auction
Savills generated more than £45 million at its 17 March auction, selling 129 residential, commercial and mixed‑use lots with a 72 percent success rate. The highest price was a 2,600 sq ft Belgravia flat that fetched £2.37 million. Commercial assets contributed £15 million, highlighted by a mixed‑use...
Personal Lease Sign‑Off Saves Owners Thousands Every Years
Why I still sign every lease in our ~1200 unit portfolio personally: Bc, about once every 2-3 yrs, I catch an incorrect rental amount, which would have cost the owner: 1. Hundreds or thousands of $$$ in forgone rent and, 2. In...
U.S. Home Prices Edge Up Slightly, Still 43% Above 2020
U.S. home prices, as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index, rose +0.1% month-over-month between January 2026 and February 2026. Year-over-year: +0.4% Since the 2022 peak: +1.6% Since March 2020: +43.2% Table via @ResidentialClub https://t.co/LC4jle3nVp
Revealed: London’s New Affordable Commuter Towns
The pandemic‑driven exodus from London is reversing as offices demand a return, reigniting the hunt for affordable commuter homes. Savills analysed 2025 rail usage and housing prices to pinpoint a new set of commuter towns that combine reasonable travel times...
January Home Sales Slip; Watch Under‑Construction Trend
New home sales and prices stumble in January. But my eyes are on that Under Construction line... https://t.co/ba6EOBkX36
Bozzuto Group Poised for New Deals with 22K Units
Someone else w/manage #SecurityProperties's abt 22K units so it c/seek new deals. That someone w/be #BozzutoGroup. #realestate #CRE #multifamily #Seattle #MD #WA https://t.co/ixn5Acko9D via @PSBJ
Palantir and Moder Partner to Transform Mortgage Industry
Palantir Technologies and Moder announced a strategic partnership to co‑develop an AI‑powered mortgage operations platform, with Freedom Mortgage as the first pilot customer. The solution uses Palantir’s Ontology to translate regulatory guidelines into configurable, testable, auditable rules that integrate with...
Assuming 100% Development Underestimates Needed Zoning by 5x
This assumes that the probability of development of zoned capacity is 100%. That's unrealistic. Let's math it out: DC needs 120,000 units by 2050. Assume a high p(dev) of 5% every 5 years. DC would need to zone for 622,100...
Simple Strategy to Boost Landlord Income Significantly
You think being landlord is easy? This is trivial way to make a LOT more
BP Signs Lease for New Global HQ at Landsec’s Timber Square
BP has signed a 192,000 sq ft lease with Landsec for its new global headquarters at Timber Square in London’s Bankside. The agreement covers the entire 15‑storey Ink building within the 365,000 sq ft Timber Square scheme, which is now 54% let at completion....
New Home Share Still High, Gradually Normalizing
New home share of total inventory remains historically elevated, but is moving back toward normal. https://t.co/fgRMXqrkuk
January New‑home Sales Plunge to Lowest Since 2022
Temporary Freeze or Deeper Chill? New home sales fell sharply in January to 587K (vs. 722K expected), marking the slowest pace since Oct 2022 and the steepest monthly drop since 2013. https://t.co/W9Fwrwtvjb
Policy Failures, Not Private Firms, Drive California's Insurance Crisis
California's property insurance problems are very similar to its housing problems -- an obvious consequence of bad public policy shrinking supply, and yet the private sector is often blamed for it. There is no "easy button" to solving complex problems decades...
Bay Area Homes Priced Low Despite High Demand
Different vibes in the Bay Area and Sacramento. Properties in the Bay Area are often priced strategically low. More on my blog. What stands out to you here? https://t.co/rts5PIUSxe
Tax Credits Spur Family‑Focused Apartments with Playgrounds
One positive quirk to how affordable housing tax credits work: They incentivize developers to build apartments for families with kids, which in turn means developers also build kid-friendly amenities like playgrounds you wouldn't see a market-rate apartment project.
Meta Secures 697 Fifth Avenue Flagship, Boosts Vornado
Big #tech discovers #5thAve. $META takes entire 15KSF townhouse at hi-rent 697Fifth, next to the #StRegis as its 1st permanent #NYC flagship+making owner #Vornado's day. #realestate #CRE #REIT #Facebook #virtualreality #retail #FarleyBuilding $VNO https://t.co/sYcy85cb1c
Real Estate Set to Benefit From Private Credit Exodus
Real estate could be the big winner in the private credit exodus https://t.co/DFzvuJjBGz #realestateinvesting @JLL @blackstone @CoStarGroup