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:
Cash-Strapped Homeowners May Soon Have No Choice but to Repair Their Aging Houses. These Stocks Can Benefit.
Home‑improvement retailers Home Depot and Lowe’s face a potential demand tailwind as homeowners confront deferred repairs on aging mid‑2000s houses and pandemic‑era appliances. UBS analysts estimate an extra $1 billion‑$2 billion in annual repair spending, which could lift sector sales modestly this year. The analysts project 0.5% sales growth for 2026, accelerating to about 3% in 2027 and returning to a 4% long‑term rate by 2028. Despite current share declines—Home Depot down ~9% YTD and Lowe’s down ~6%—the note suggests a stronger recovery once the repair backlog is addressed.
Wages Outpace Home Prices, Boosting Housing Affordability
Quietly, the housing market is becoming healthier as wage growth outpaces home prices, which improves affordability. @housingwire @sarahteresa6 #housing #realestate #mortgagerates #economics #chartdaddy
Crocs Opens First Full‑Price UK Store, Doubling Down on Brick‑and‑Mortar
Crocs inaugurated its first full‑price UK store, a 1,500‑sq‑ft shop at Westfield Stratford City, as part of a broader push to open 200‑250 new doors worldwide. The move underscores the brand’s belief that physical locations can deliver experiences online channels...
Rocket Companies Forecasts Q2 Revenue Below Expectations as Spring Homebuying Slumps
Rocket Companies told investors its real‑time data shows spring homebuying activity is falling short of historic patterns. The lender now expects second‑quarter 2026 revenue of $2.7‑$2.9 billion, about 6.6 % below consensus forecasts, after reporting a $2.94 billion first‑quarter haul and its strongest...
Walmart Blanketing Southeast With Remodeled Supercenters, Additional Locations
Walmart announced a massive rollout of 650 store remodels and 20 new locations through 2027, with a particular focus on the Southeast. The company has already invested $675 million in Alabama and $1.5 billion in Florida over the past five years, upgrading...
TenantSider Launches End‑to‑End Leasing‑Operations Platform for U.S. Landlords
TenantSider introduced an end‑to‑end leasing‑operations SaaS that automates the entire rental workflow for U.S. landlords. Founded by Mustafa Bostanci, the platform aims to serve the 42.5 million renter households across the United States by consolidating inquiries, tours, lease execution, payments and...
Fannie Mae Sues Houston Apartment Owners over Alleged $47M Loan Default
Fannie Mae filed a federal lawsuit on May 7, 2026 against two Houston limited partnerships that defaulted on nearly $47 million of multifamily loans. The suit alleges the borrowers layered hidden junior liens worth about $11.3 million, missed scheduled payments in early...
Is Homeownership Still Worth It? + Why Work-Life Balance Is a Myth
In this episode the host challenges the conventional wisdom that homeownership is a prerequisite for adulthood, arguing that renting can be the smarter financial choice, especially in high‑cost markets like the Bay Area and New York. They explain that the...
A Residential Building that Honours Its Industrial Past
Vivre 2, a new residential tower in Montreal’s Outremont borough, repurposes a former industrial site into modern housing while honoring the area’s warehouse heritage. Designed by ACDF Architecture, the building uses a dual‑tone clay‑brick façade that mirrors historic structural grids and...
Home Sales Disappoint as Consumer Confidence Hits a 70-Year Low
April’s existing home sales held steady at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million, missing the 4.1 million forecast. Single‑family sales slipped 0.3 % YoY, while condominium sales rose 2.7 % to offset the decline. The Northeast saw the steepest drop, with sales...
What Will Be in Tonight's Federal Budget? Here Are the Major Measures We Know About so Far
Treasurer Jim Chalmers' fifth federal budget focuses on housing for younger Australians amid rising interest rates and inflation. The plan earmarks AUD 2 billion (≈US 1.3 billion) for councils and utilities to build 65,000 homes, while reforming negative gearing and capital gains tax...
The Intelligence Advantage: How AI Is Reshaping the American Mortgage Broker
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping U.S. mortgage brokers, with 55% using AI daily and 72% forecasting further growth. While general‑purpose models like ChatGPT dominate, only a third employ mortgage‑specific tools for underwriting or lead generation. AI automates back‑office tasks, pulls...
Why Chalmers's Budget Will Rein in the Property Free-for-All
The Albanese government’s upcoming budget will curb negative gearing and overhaul the 50 percent capital gains tax (CGT) discount. The reforms target the tax advantages that disproportionately benefit high‑income earners, with the Parliamentary Budget Office noting 80 percent of CGT benefits flow...
Maverick Blocked From Auctioning Former Flushing Theater Site
Maverick Real Estate Partners’ plan to auction the former KRO Keith’s Theater site in Flushing, Queens was blocked after Xin Development’s parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing imposed a $41.2 million judgment lien and valued the 81,000‑sq‑ft property at...
How Interest Rates Affect Your Mortgage Loan Over Time
Interest rates are the primary driver of mortgage costs, influencing both monthly payments and the total amount repaid over a loan’s life. A one‑percentage‑point shift can change a 30‑year payment by hundreds of dollars and double the overall interest paid...
Hastings Housing, Golf Plan Near Aerodrome: ‘No-Complaint Covenant’ in Spotlight
A rezoning proposal near Hastings Aerodrome seeks approval for 170 homes on golf‑club land, paired with a “no‑complaint covenant” that would bar future residents from objecting to airport operations. A 2025 planning report warned the covenant is an inadequate mitigation...
Reclaiming Nashville’s Riverfront
Nashville is launching a new phase of waterfront redevelopment on the East Bank of the Cumberland River, converting over 550 acres of former industrial land into mixed‑use neighborhoods. The River North project, anchored by Oracle’s global headquarters and the Imagine...
Orion Properties Leases Full Irving Office Building: The DFW Deal Sheet
Orion Properties has leased the entire 172,000 sq ft office building at 6655 MacArthur Blvd. in Irving to nonprofit Mercury One. The lease enables Mercury One to consolidate its operations and the American Journey Experience museum under one roof. Cushman & Wakefield highlighted the building’s design and Las Colinas’...
Flatiron Building Scores Top Manhattan Contract at $18M
The Flatiron Building conversion led Manhattan’s luxury market last week, with Unit 8‑North sealing an $18 million contract, the highest deal recorded. A total of 36 properties priced above $4 million entered contracts, up from 29 in the prior period, representing $271 million in...
Data Centers Remain ‘Largest Driver Behind Growth’ in Construction Planning
The Dodge Momentum Index showed a 6.2% month‑over‑month rise in non‑residential construction planning in April, driven primarily by a surge in data‑center projects. Commercial planning surged 37.2% year‑over‑year, though without data‑center work the increase would have been just 5.8%. Jacobs...
The Neighborhood Gap Zillow Can't Fill
Real estate agents are feeling pressure from Zillow and Redfin, which have turned MLS data into free, searchable listings, and from a NAR settlement that ended the traditional split‑commission model for buyer agents. At the same time, mortgage lenders, contractors...
Five Questions to Ask Before Buying a Fixer-Upper
Buying a fixer‑upper can quickly turn a modest £40,000 (≈$51,000) budget into a £90,000 (≈$114,000) project if hidden defects are missed. The article outlines five critical questions—survey depth, insurance coverage, planning constraints, realistic budgeting, and contractor selection—to protect buyers from...
Existing Home Sales Edged Up Slightly in April
Existing home sales in April nudged up 0.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million, halting a nine‑month decline but remaining at historically low levels. Inventory rose 5.8% to 1.5 million units, translating to a 4.4‑month supply, yet still below...
Refi Share Hits 44% as Borrowers Save $257 Monthly
Refinances accounted for ~44% of all mortgages in Q1, the highest share in four years. Rate and term refis were 60% of refi activity, a five-year high thanks to low mortgage rates (which are now gone). Average borrower reduced their monthly payment...
Foreign Investors Driving Californians Out of Arcadia Housing
Arcadia is not a serious place. What’s even more interesting is that a lot of residential property is owned by various foreign entities which has priced out Californians from owning. But nobody wants to talk about that.
US Home Resales Barely Rise as Key Selling Season Begins
US home resales in April barely rose, with contract closings up 0.2% to an annualized 4.02 million, still below economists' median forecast. The median selling price hit a record $417,700, up 0.9% year‑over‑year. Inventory of previously owned homes increased to 1.47 million,...
Homeowners Dominate Sellers as Rates Shift Upward
Most sellers are home buyers, with nearly 86% of homeowners having rates between 2.75% and 4.75% before rates rose. The natural curve decline of the sub 5% group vs the rise of 6% plus group looks normal with total home...
US Home Sellers Outnumber Buyers by Record 630K
US home sellers now outnumber buyers by 630,000, setting a record for the largest gap ever We've seen this story before... https://t.co/vA1EyyIQKt
Walmart Closes a Location
Walmart shut its Lincolnwood, Illinois store at 6840 N McCormick Blvd., marking one of several closures among major grocers in May 2026. The data, sourced from ScrapeHero, shows Walmart and Publix each closed a store while also opening two new locations. Kroger led closures...
Affordable Housing Needs Strong Regulation, Not Just Deregulation
The thing about housing deregulation is that lots of marginal cuts can deliver units, but at the end of the day, we aren't going to have affordable housing unless we actually get good regulations. Marginal improvement low hanging fruit will...
Sacramento Sees 15 Five‑million Sales, 15 Listings
There have been 15 sales above 5 million in the Sacramento region since 2021, and there are 15 current active listings above 5 million. So many people aiming for that unicorn price.
UWM’s Ishbia: Despite Current Headwinds, Rates Will Drop This Year, and Brokers Will Dominate
UWM President and CEO Mat Ishbia says mortgage rates, which climbed back to the mid‑6% range after an early‑year dip, are expected to fall to the high‑5% range by year‑end. He argues that lower rates will let brokers dominate because...
Seattle Mayor Leads Left‑YIMBY Housing Test Case
Socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson accelerating new housing development near transit. Outside of Mamdani in NYC and possibly Raman in LA, biggest test case of the Left-YIMBY synthesis of urban housing politics/policy.
50 Homes Rebuilt, Still Lagging Behind Paradise, Santa Rosa
This week's @politico Los Angeles wildfire rebuilding update. We've now topped 50 completed homes between Altadena (37) and Pacific Palisades (15). Still trailing Paradise (79) and Santa Rosa (153) following same amount of days post fires.
Phillips Auction House Inks 23K-SF Deal at 950 Third Avenue
Phillips Auction House signed a 23,000‑square‑foot lease covering the 14th and 15th floors of the Class A tower at 950 Third Avenue in Midtown East. The deal is part of a broader leasing wave that has added 55,000 sq ft to the building...
Vacancy Data Exposes Doomer Narratives, Not Russian Trolls
If you really want to mess with their minds, show the doomers who aren't Russian Trolls the vacancy data https://t.co/0SqRxX7ypV
Low Demand, Even Lower Supply Keeps Market Competitive
The housing market is not normal since we have such a low number of sales, but competition levels have felt pretty normal. What I mean is we have a regular spread of homes selling above and below the original price....
Developer Eyes Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, for New Data Center Development
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is evaluating a potential data‑center project on a 51‑acre parcel between Creek Turnpike and State Highway 51. The unnamed developer has requested a pre‑development meeting, expected within the next four to eight weeks, but no approvals have been...
April Home Sales Slip Amid Rising Mortgage Rates
April home sales disappoint as higher #mortgage rates weigh on buyers https://t.co/SASB7Gm37N @nardotrealtor #realestate #housing
Empire Group Brings On SimonCRE to Oversee Carefree Retail Center Venture
Empire Group of Companies has replaced Diversified Partners with SimonCRE to manage the Carefree Quarter retail center in Arizona. The 120,000‑square‑foot project, costing about $60 million, will feature a 30,000‑sq‑ft grocery anchor, a 16,000‑sq‑ft annex, three shops and eight pad buildings....
Details Emerge On Manifold's Mixed-Use Austin Project With Focus On Multifamily
Manifold Real Estate has filed plans for Sixth & Walsh, a roughly 300,000‑square‑foot mixed‑use project in Austin’s Clarkesville neighborhood. The five‑story building will host four floors of multifamily housing—168 units, including 17 affordable units—and a 42,000‑square‑foot ground‑level retail component. Three underground parking...
US Multifamily Rents Edge Up $4 in April Amid Sun Belt Oversupply
National advertised multifamily rents rose $4 month‑over‑month in April, the smallest gain in a year, as excess inventory in Sun Belt markets continues to suppress pricing. The modest uptick signals that demand is still lagging behind supply, keeping cash‑flow risk...
Snowflake Launches AI Model Mapping Flood Risk for 1.2 Million UK Buildings
Snowflake unveiled an AI‑driven Intelligent Flood Readiness Model that flags roughly 1.2 million buildings in England lacking flood defences. The model fuses Ordnance Survey maps, Environment Agency data and social‑deprivation indices, offering property owners, lenders and insurers unprecedented granularity for risk...
Historic Sellers‑buyers Gap Hits Record Inventory Levels
Updated chart on the biggest sellers vs buyers gap with inventory in history 😅 https://t.co/3iCN13KcUq
Concern over Proposed Sale of 300 Acres for Data Center in Hillsboro, Texas
Residents of Hillsboro, Texas, gathered at a public meeting to voice concerns over a proposed 300‑acre data‑center development. The city’s Economic Development Corporation is considering selling the land to Provident Realty Advisors, which received a four‑month extension for due‑diligence. Provident,...
Outdated Office Space Could Undermine Oxford Street Revival Plans, WPA Warns
The Westminster Property Association (WPA) warns that roughly 3.8 million square feet of office space on Oxford Street falls short of the energy‑efficiency standards slated for 2030. The report says these outdated premises could derail the high‑profile retail and mixed‑use regeneration...
Office Demand Remains Resilient Through AI Surge, Iran Conflict
Office demand in the U.S. rebounded strongly in Q1 2026, with the VTS Office Demand Index climbing to 79 – an 18% quarter‑over‑quarter and 13% year‑over‑year gain. Technology leasing led the surge, posting a 109% YoY increase, while finance and legal...
Dissolving REIT Lowers Payout Estimate Due To Soft D.C. Market
Elme Communities, a dissolving multifamily REIT, trimmed its final payout range to $16.74‑$17.02 per share, citing weaker market conditions in Washington, D.C. The company has secured purchase‑sale agreements for four of its five remaining properties, which together should generate roughly...
Record‑Breaking Seller Surplus Hits Market
It strikes again, the largest number of sellers vs buyers ever recorded in history 🫡 https://t.co/MLNsq8n4tS
Simon Property Group Drops Effort to Evict Saks Global Stores Behind in Rent
Simon Property Group and Saks Global have settled a long‑running lease dispute that threatened to stall Saks' Chapter 11 exit. The agreement drops Simon's $7 million eviction claim and grants Saks rent breaks and shorter leases at several Simon malls, including keeping...