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:
What Awaits the New CEOs at Walmart and Target? – Placer.ai Blog
Walmart closed Q4 2025 with foot‑traffic up 2.3% YoY and a 4.5% comparable‑sales gain, bolstered by 28% e‑commerce growth, positioning new CEO John Furner for a strong start. Target’s Q4 2025 visits fell 2.0% YoY and comparable sales dropped 2.7%, with weekend traffic especially weak, leaving new CEO Michael Fiddelke a tougher turnaround. Both retailers rely on digital initiatives, but Walmart’s balanced weekday‑weekend traffic contrasts with Target’s discretionary‑driven slump. The divergent trends set distinct trajectories for the two giants in 2026.
Dollar Stores, the New Face of the Holiday Season – Placer.ai Blog
Dollar stores experienced a 4.5% year‑over‑year increase in foot traffic during Q4 2025, matching growth rates of off‑price clubs and outpacing traditional holiday categories such as apparel and electronics. Five Below led the surge with strong same‑store visits focused on gifting,...
Tech and AI: An Evolution, Not a Reinvention, of Commercial Real Estate – Placer.ai Blog
Commercial real estate (CRE) is not being displaced by AI, but a strategic tech stack can accelerate insight, cut risk, and sharpen strategy. The industry’s reliance on local knowledge and relationships remains, yet COVID‑driven digital adoption highlighted the need for...
Placer.ai January 2026 Office Index: Fern Puts RTO to the Test – Placer.ai Blog
Placer.ai’s January 2026 Office Index shows that winter storm Fern dented foot‑traffic but did not derail the broader return‑to‑office (RTO) recovery. Adjusted for working days, office visits reached the highest January level since the pandemic began, even as overall traffic stayed...
Placer.ai Overall Retail, E-Commerce Distribution, Industrial Manufacturing Index, January 2026 – Placer.ai Blog
Placer.ai’s January 2026 index shows both e‑commerce distribution centers and brick‑and‑mortar retailers recorded year‑over‑year foot‑traffic growth, extending holiday‑season momentum. Distribution centers posted a 2.6% increase while retail chains rose 1.8% YoY. In contrast, the Industrial Manufacturing Index slipped, driven by Winter...
NPTN by LMS Joins Bank of England Synchronisation Lab to Tackle Remortgage Friction
LMS, through its NPTN network, has entered the Bank of England’s Synchronisation Lab to pilot a synchronized settlement model for remortgages. The eight‑week test will run in a simulated Real‑Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) environment, splitting payments into earmark and settle...
Government Office Closures Deliver over £17 Million in Annual Savings
The UK government announced that closing three central London office buildings has generated more than £17 million in annual savings, with the latest closure of 10 Victoria Street delivering around £8.8 million in rent reductions. The closures are part of a broader...
District Court in Washington Refuses to Block State SPCP
A Washington district court declined to issue an injunction against the State's Secure Property Credit Program (SPCP), allowing the program to continue operating. Plaintiffs argued the SPCP violated federal mortgage regulations, but the court found insufficient evidence of immediate harm....
Other News in Brief
Bank holdings of residential mortgage‑backed securities dropped in Q4, while investor appetite for GSE‑eligible non‑agency loans surged. The CFPB reported a lower share of complaints receiving relief, and fintech Better turned to stablecoins for warehouse funding. M&A activity is reshaping...
Commercial Real Estate Lease Analysis Tool (Updated Feb 2026)
A new Commercial Real Estate Lease Analysis Tool has been released, offering landlords, tenant‑rep brokers, and prospective buyers a structured Excel model to abstract lease terms and forecast cash flows. The tool features three core worksheets—Lease Abstract, Lease CF, and...
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...
There’s No Such Thing as a “Clean” Environmental Site
It's only Monday and I've already heard 2 people refer to a "clean" environmental. There is no such thing. It's just a casual way of describing an environmental site assessment that ostensibly has no issues or concerns. But not only is it misleading,...
Pilots Win Court Fight Over Housing Near California Airport
A Santa Cruz County judge ruled that Watsonville violated the State Aeronautics Act and CEQA by approving a 21‑unit housing project inside the safety zone of Watsonville Municipal Airport. The court ordered the city to adopt state‑mandated airport compatibility standards...
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%...
H
Kinda says everything about what the state’s new approach on housing does and doesn’t do that Huntington Beach has been in litigation over it for the entirety of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tenure
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....
Drafting
The fact that I need to stop working on moving deals forward for a few minutes and draft four (4) commission agreements ... is a good sign
Mansion Tax Repeal Initiative Secures Ballot Spot
Looks like the statewide initiative that would chop Los Angeles' ULA "mansion tax" is going to qualify for the November ballot per @JeremyBWhite in Playbook PM. Backers are turning in 1.2m signatures and need just 874k valid ones https://t.co/WVH0LOnGQi
Huey Magoo’s Open 12 New Restaurants in Texas, Alabama
Huey Magoo’s signed a development agreement to launch 12 new restaurants—four in Birmingham, Alabama, and eight across North Dallas, Texas. The locations will be owned and operated by the Jha Rajput Patel group. Founded in 2004, Huey Magoo’s already runs...
Offices Evolve Into Performance‑Boosting Social Ecosystems
The office is no longer a "container" for desks ... it’s a catalyst for performance. As we hit 2026, the workplace has shifted from static square footage to a dynamic ecosystem built on social health & hospitality.
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
Bank Mortgage-Banking Earnings Slip in Fourth Quarter
Bank mortgage‑banking earnings slipped in the fourth quarter, falling roughly 12% year‑over‑year despite a modest 5% rise in loan volume. Residential mortgage‑backed securities (MBS) holdings saw a sharp decline, while demand for non‑agency, GSE‑eligible loans surged. Banks turned to stablecoin‑based...
Build Luxury Units to Boost Affordable Housing Supply
If you want more non-subsidized, naturally occurring affordable housing, build a lot more "luxury" apartments and condos.
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
Mortgage Investors Expect Early Challenges With New Credit Score Models
Mortgage investors are bracing for short‑term disruption as major credit bureaus roll out next‑generation scoring models that incorporate alternative data and machine‑learning algorithms. The new frameworks promise finer risk granularity but also introduce uncertainty around model validation, regulatory approval, and...
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"
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,...
Risks Seen in Potential Shift From Tri-Merge Process
Industry analysts warn that moving away from the established tri‑merge securitization framework could introduce significant operational and liquidity risks for mortgage lenders. The tri‑merge process, which bundles GSE‑eligible loans from multiple originators, has underpinned stable funding flows for years. A...
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...
Living with Mom and Dad at 30
Homeownership among 30‑year‑olds has dropped from 45% in 1990 to 30% today, driven primarily by a surge in those living with parents or roommates, which rose from 17% to 32%. Marriage rates for this age group have fallen sharply, reducing...
AI Disrupts Real Estate, Questioning Need for Physical Space
An entire industry's dilemma: Can #CRE convince investors you need humans who need 3D space for stores, warehouses, offices? #AI anxiety bites hard. 'The threat is the 28yo broker who can deliver in 2 hrs w/used to take 2 weeks'...
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...
The ROI of Predictive Property Management with IoT Sensors
A six‑month pilot at Langvout Court retirement complex in the Scottish Borders equipped the site with unobtrusive IoT sensors linked to an ambient assisted‑living platform. The deployment generated a 4.4 to 1 return on investment, meaning each £1 spent produced £4.40 of...
Watch Me Build A Construction Draw Schedule (Updated Feb 2026)
The article walks readers through building a construction draw schedule that respects a typical capital stack of equity first, then debt, and finally an interest reserve. It highlights the iterative challenge of calculating the interest reserve when debt disbursements depend...
The Return of Pacific Place
Los Angeles‑based BH Properties acquired Seattle’s Pacific Place in May 2024 and announced a full revitalization. The 335,000‑sq ft downtown mall, which had slipped to 45% occupancy under the previous owner, will receive interior upgrades, lease‑ready suites, and a four‑story LED...
Gen Z Is Shifting the Future of Retail
Generation Z is redefining retail by favoring in‑person experiences despite their digital upbringing. A recent Retail Dive survey shows 69 percent prefer brick‑and‑mortar stores, with three‑quarters visiting weekly, prompting brands to create hybrid, experience‑focused spaces. Architects like RDC are translating online identities...
Methodical Growth
Retail real estate in the Mid‑Atlantic remains healthy but is becoming increasingly selective as limited supply, zoning constraints, and rising construction costs tighten the market. Developers are focusing on mixed‑use, grocery‑anchored projects such as Richmond’s $2.4 billion Diamond District and the...
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Profits Decline in 2025
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reported a sharp decline in 2025 net earnings, falling roughly 12% year‑over‑year. The drop coincides with an 8% contraction in bank holdings of agency residential mortgage‑backed securities in Q4 and a reduced share of correspondent...
Rep. Hill Unimpressed by Trump’s GSE ‘IPO’ Plan
Representative Hill voiced strong skepticism toward President Trump’s proposal to launch an initial public offering of the government‑sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He warned that a rushed IPO could destabilize the secondary mortgage market and raise borrowing costs...
FHFA Eliminates Key Fair Lending/Fair Housing Rule
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced the repeal of its longstanding fair‑lending and fair‑housing rule that imposed heightened nondiscrimination standards on GSE‑originated mortgages. A recent GAO review gave FHFA a clean bill of health on its accounting, while noting...
FHFA to Improve Nonbank Supervision on GAO Nudge
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced plans to tighten supervision of non‑bank mortgage lenders following a GAO recommendation. A GAO review gave FHFA a clean bill of health on its financial statements but highlighted $32.9 million in costs tied to...
Pulte Met With Many in Industry During First Year
FHFA Director Bill Pulte’s first seven months in office were marked by an intensive outreach schedule, meeting with dozens of banks, GSE representatives, fintech firms, and mortgage servicers. The FOIA‑released list shows roughly 45 engagements covering agency‑MBS policy, stablecoin warehouse...
Study Finds GSE-Backed Investor Loans Crowd Out FTHBs
A recent study shows that loans backed by government‑sponsored enterprises (GSEs) for investor purchases are increasingly displacing first‑time homebuyers (FTHBs) in the mortgage market. Investor‑originated, GSE‑secured loans grew 12% year‑over‑year, while FTHB loan share slipped 8% in Q3 2025. The...
December 2025 Residential Construction
The latest Census estimates show residential construction activity for December 2025 edging forward, but the recovery remains sluggish. Analyst Kevin Erdmann highlights that the persistent supply shortage outweighs mortgage‑rate concerns in shaping short‑term building trends. He links today’s modest gains...
Brad Carr: Canada Needs to Cut the GST/HST for All New Homebuyers, Not Just First-Timers
Brad Carr, CEO of Mattamy Homes, urges the federal and Ontario governments to broaden the GST/HST rebate to all new‑home buyers, not just first‑timers. He points to a sharp decline in Canadian home sales—GTA sales fell 11.2% in 2025, with...
![How [Solidcore] Picks the Perfect Location - Where We Buy #370](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/b/7/f/5/b7f53b95c37f71aae5bbc093207a2619/Where_We_Buy_cover_2024.jpg)
How [Solidcore] Picks the Perfect Location - Where We Buy #370
solidcore has accelerated its expansion, growing from 85 studios in 2022 to 165 today and targeting 205 locations by year‑end. The boutique fitness chain focuses on women aged 25‑35, emphasizing community‑driven experiences and preventative wellness. Site selection prioritizes co‑tenants such...
HUD Moves to Close 'Mixed Status Households' Roommate Loophole
HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced a proposed rule that would require proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status for every resident in HUD‑funded housing, targeting so‑called “mixed‑status households.” The rule follows a HUD‑DHS audit that identified roughly 200,000 units...
Charlotte's Blue Line Spurs Transit‑Focused Urban Growth
🚈 Would you want to live in close walking proximity to public transit? Or prefer using a car to get around? Here’s a look into how Charlotte, North Carolina is developing around its Light Rail Blue Line.
Garry Marr: Home Buyers' Plan Was Invitation to Disaster for Young Canadians Who Bought at Market Peak
The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP), which lets Canadians withdraw up to $60,000 from their RRSPs for a first‑home down payment, was widely promoted as a tax‑free shortcut to homeownership. However, buyers who entered the market at the March 2022 peak of...
January 2026 Rental Report: Renter Conditions Improve Across U.S. Markets, With Notable Increases in Vacancies
Realtor.com’s January 2026 Rental Report shows the 29th consecutive month of year‑over‑year rent declines for 0‑2‑bedroom units, with the median asking rent falling 1.5% to $1,672. Vacancy rates in the nation’s 50 largest metros rose to 7.6%, the highest since...