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:
Mizuho’s Vikram Malhotra Sees Logistics Real Estate in Early Stages of New Upcycle
Vikram Malhotra, managing director of real estate equities at Mizuho, says the industrial and logistics REIT sector is in the early stages of a new upcycle. Large warehouses over 500,000 square feet are thriving as retailers like Walmart and Amazon chase faster last‑mile delivery. Vacancy currently sits at about 7.5%, near a peak, and rent growth is unlikely until vacancy falls to roughly 6%, which could take a year. Despite global instability, demand for logistics space is expected to reach 150‑200 million square feet annually, reinforcing the sector’s momentum.
Poundstretcher Seeks Rent Cuts in Survival Bid
Discount retailer Poundstretcher, owned by Fortress Investment Group, is seeking a High Court‑approved restructuring to slash lease costs and avoid liquidation. The plan targets at least a 25% rent reduction, with rent‑free status for the weakest stores, and offers landlords...
Real Estate Private Equity Generates Perpetual Income Streams
Why Real Estate Private Equity is the Perfect Perpetual Income Machine You want to be in a business where the sale you made 5 years ago still pays you today. Real estate private equity is the perfect example of this Here’s how...
Multifamily Developer Confidence Holds Steady in First Quarter
The National Association of Home Builders’ Multifamily Market Survey shows developer confidence held steady in Q1 2026, with the Multifamily Production Index (MPI) unchanged at 44 year‑over‑year. Meanwhile, the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI) slipped to 69, a 13‑point decline. Growth...
March 2026 New Home Sales
The March 2026 new‑home sales report shows the post‑COVID sales surge has evaporated as higher mortgage rates curbed demand, leaving builders with a backlog of units under construction. Completed new‑home inventory peaked earlier this year and is now on a...
US Construction Spending for March 0.6% versus 0.2% Estimate
U.S. construction spending rose 0.6% in March 2026, surpassing the 0.2% forecast. Total construction reached $2.1855 trillion, up 1.6% year‑over‑year. Private residential construction led the gains with a 1.7% month‑over‑month increase, while non‑residential private and public segments slipped modestly. Year‑to‑date spending climbed...
Juggling Real Estate, Investing, and Baseball in One Day
Had a walkthrough of an apartment complex, 1 investor call, baseball practice, an advisory board meeting, one property closing, and a bunch of calls trying to find the tenants in one of my upcoming listings a new place to live....
Toll Brothers Announces Final Opportunity to Purchase a New Home in Sterling Pointe in Cumming, Georgia
Toll Brothers announced that the last remaining home in its Sterling Pointe community in Cumming, Georgia – the Rosewater Chateau – is now move‑in ready and priced at $1,599,000. The 4,529‑square‑foot residence features five bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a three‑car garage,...
Social Norms, Not Pay Gap, Drive Homeownership Gap
Single men are 30% more likely to own a home than single women. Most people blame the pay gap, but the real reason is a social norm that punishes women for buying before marriage. I dug into millions of census...
Venice Near the Beach
Three residential properties situated between Abbot Kinney and Venice Beach have entered the market in the past 21 days. The listings range from a spacious loft with a modern kitchen to other upscale units, showcasing the premium finishes that attract...
Record-High US Home‑Remodeling Activity Linked to Soaring Relocation Costs
A MarketScreener.com survey released in May 2026 found that 43% of U.S. homeowners renovated their homes in 2025 and another 33% intend to remodel in 2026, marking a historic surge. The shift is driven by rising relocation expenses, elevated mortgage...
Mortgage Rates Hit 6.45%, Driving 4.4% Drop in Applications and First‑Time Buyer Pullback
Mortgage rates rose to 6.45% last week, prompting a 4.4% decline in total mortgage applications and a sharp retreat by first‑time homebuyers. The average purchase loan size jumped to $467,300, the highest since 1990, while refinance activity slipped to its...
OLOS Impact Deploys AI‑Powered Model to Speed Affordable Housing in LA
OLOS Impact has launched an AI‑driven multifamily development platform in Los Angeles, promising to cut feasibility studies from months to days. The firm pairs the technology with a partnership model that leverages underused church land, aiming to deliver "attainable" housing...
61 Townhomes Approved at 12722 Woods Ave. In Norwalk
The Norwalk Planning Commission approved Hamilton Land Development's plan to replace an existing church and school with 61 three‑story townhome condominiums at 12722 Woods Avenue. Designed by KTGY, the contemporary stucco‑finished homes will offer two‑, three‑ and four‑bedroom layouts, each...
Construction Begins for 87 Apartments at 12124 Pacfic Ave. In Mar Vista
Construction has begun on a six‑story, 87‑unit multifamily building at 12124 W. Pacific Avenue in Mar Vista. Developed by Robert Green’s Frame LA, the project will offer one‑ and three‑bedroom apartments with underground parking for 124 vehicles. In return for...
Roxy’s Adventures in Commercial Real Estate — Picking Your Battles
Roxy Klein, senior vice‑president at Progressive Real Estate Partners, shares a coaching insight that reshaped her approach to commercial real‑estate deals: "pick your battles." She now asks whether each negotiation point truly matters to the client before committing energy, reserving...
Viral HomeGoods Finds Are Everywhere—Here’s How to Use Them to Boost Your Home’s Value
Viral HomeGoods décor items are trending on social media, and Redfin agents say they can boost a home’s appeal when selling if used sparingly. Agents recommend limiting bold, quirky pieces to no more than 10% of a home’s overall design...
Grosvenor Estate: Ministers Don’t Get ‘Basic Economics’
The Grosvenor estate, owned by the Duke of Westminster, warned that government interference and red‑tape are stifling the UK housing supply, jeopardising Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes by the next election. Mark Preston, representing the estate, said the focus...
Original Atlanta Department Store’s Rebirth as Apartments Has Arrived
Historic 85 Peachtree Street, Atlanta’s original department store, is being transformed into 26 loft‑style apartments after a $25 million renovation. The building, bought for $3.3 million in foreclosure, will open this summer with studios to two‑bedroom units ranging from 650 to 1,100 sq ft....
Bright Power Launches AI-Powered Energy Compliance and Carbon Forecasting Platform for Commercial Real Estate
Bright Power announced Bright Power AI, an AI‑driven platform that combines two new software tools—Predict and Navigate—to help multifamily real‑estate owners forecast carbon compliance, plan retrofits, and automate energy‑benchmarking reporting. Predict delivers emissions baselines, scenario modeling, and fine projections, while...
U.S. Commercial Property Prices Slip 0.1% in April, Still 3.1% Above Year‑Over‑Year
U.S. commercial property values fell 0.1% in April, marking the first decline of 2026, but the Green Street Commercial Property Price Index stays 3.1% above its level a year earlier. The modest drop comes as Treasury yields climb and investors...
In a Twist, Baltimore Residents Ask for Less Parking
Baltimore residents attended a city hearing to challenge a developer’s request for 65 off‑street parking spaces at a new supermarket, arguing the project only needs the 36 spots permitted under the city’s recent parking‑minimum repeal. The proposal also seeks to...
Progressive Insurance Helps First-Time Homebuyers With Down Payments
Progressive Insurance has launched the UpPayment program, offering up to $13,500 in down‑payment assistance to as many as 200 first‑time homebuyers. Eligible applicants must be legal U.S. residents, earn less than $136,600 annually, secure mortgage pre‑approval, and complete HUD‑approved housing...
Weekly Housing Trends: U.S. Market Update (Week Ending May 2, 2026)
The weekly Realtor.com report shows a cautiously active U.S. housing market as of the week ending May 2, 2026. New listings slipped 2.5% year‑over‑year but remain above 120,000, while active inventory rose 2.3% YoY, now 6.5% higher than a year...
DeepSeek and Alibaba Rescue China’s Office Landlords
DeepSeek and Alibaba announced large hiring drives in Hangzhou, creating immediate demand for office space and offering a lifeline to landlords struggling with high vacancy rates. A Hangzhou court ruled that firms cannot replace employees with artificial intelligence, reinforcing the...
Atlantic Canada’s First Tall Mass Timber Tower? Dartmouth Study Compares Mass Timber Vs. Concrete
A feasibility study for a 12‑storey residential tower in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia compared concrete and mass‑timber construction. The timber option was 8.39% more expensive but could be completed two months faster, with a potential four‑to‑six‑month lead time. Savings stem from...
New-Construction Insights: Urban New Builds Are Scarce and Expensive
New‑construction median listing price held steady at $449,373 in Q1 2026, while existing‑home prices slipped 0.9% to $390,550, pushing the national new‑construction premium to 15.1%. Builders reduced new‑home prices more frequently than resales, yet days on market remained unchanged, underscoring a...
April 2026 Hottest Housing Markets
Springfield, Massachusetts reclaimed the top spot in Realtor.com’s April 2026 hottest‑housing‑market ranking, marking its second consecutive month at number one. The top‑20 list is dominated by the Northeast (16 metros) and the Midwest (5 metros), with median days on market...
Bank Fights Fed to Offer Cash Guarantee Mortgages
Canandaigua National Corp., a New York bank, is challenging a Federal Reserve Board denial of its cash‑guarantee mortgage program in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The proposed scheme would have the bank purchase a seller’s home when a...
Fannie Mae's Portfolio Surge Is the Biggest in over a Decade
Fannie Mae’s retained portfolio surged to $168.74 billion in March, marking the largest monthly increase since 2009 and the highest level since the Great Financial Crisis. The $18.3 billion jump lifted combined GSE retained assets to $308.5 billion, a peak not seen since early 2021....
Benson Elliot and Hobart Pre-Let Entire City Office Scheme to Lockton
Benson Elliot and Hobart have pre‑let their entire new office development in the City of London to insurance broker Lockton, creating the largest office pre‑let recorded for 2026. The transaction fills the building before construction is complete, guaranteeing full occupancy...
How Luxury Property Presentation Helps Buyers Understand a Home Before It Exists
Luxury developers are turning to immersive visual tools to let high‑net‑worth buyers experience a home before construction finishes. Traditional floor plans and glossy brochures fall short of conveying spatial flow, natural light, and the lived‑in feel of premium London apartments...
The Best Markets for First-Time Home Buyers
Zillow’s February analysis of the 50 largest U.S. metros identifies Jacksonville, Florida as the most affordable market for first‑time homebuyers, where median mortgage payments ($1,680) nearly match typical rents ($1,672). The ranking combines rent‑to‑income ratios, the share of homes affordable...
Hut 8 Signs Nearly $10bn Data Centre Lease
Hut 8 announced a 15‑year lease worth $9.8 billion for its Beacon Point data‑centre campus in Nueces County, Texas, securing 352 MW of compute capacity and up to 1 GW of power. The agreement, with an unnamed major tech firm, also includes a 500 MW...
Las Vegas Housing Market Cools Further in April
The Las Vegas housing market continued its post‑boom moderation in April 2026, with median single‑family home prices slipping 1.3% to $473,875 and condo‑townhome values falling 4.2% to $290,000. Transaction volume softened, as 2,643 properties changed hands, while inventory rose 7.7%...
Workspace Explores Sale of Flagship London Asset Amid Saba Pressure
Workspace Group, the London‑listed flexible‑office provider, is weighing a sale of its flagship Salisbury House asset for roughly £125 million (about $170 million). The disposal would form part of a broader £200 million ($272 million) asset‑sale programme aimed at shoring up the balance sheet....
Go-Ahead for Another Giant Data Centre at Redhill
Planners have approved a new 15 MW data centre at Redhill, part of a £200 million ($254 million) investment by Castleforge and Galaxy Data Centers. The expansion adds a two‑storey building with four data halls on the 3.1‑hectare Foxboro Business Park site, bringing...
Casa Continua / STUDIOTAMAT
STUDIOTAMAT’s Casa Continua reimagines a 115 m² Rome apartment by making the kitchen the social engine of the home. Custom burgundy glazed partitions, restored parquet flooring, and bespoke oak joinery turn former rooms into a fluid, interconnected layout. Iconic pieces such...
Austin CBD & East Austin Flooded with 2.5‑3.5k SF Offices
I have only done a handful of ATX office deals, but I found this hard to believe, so I did a quick CoStar run. There are 40+ Class A and B office buildings in the Austin CBD alone currently marketing suites...
Ministers Urged to Speed up Home Sales Reforms
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has written to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook urging the government to accelerate reforms to England and Wales’ home‑buying and selling process. The committee backs proposals such as upfront property information, digital data feeds...
ACORN Names Lambeth Candidates Who Fail to Back Its Housing Policies
ACORN, a community union, asked Lambeth councillors and candidates to endorse three housing measures—rent controls, a zero‑tolerance stance on rogue landlords, and ending the use of bailiffs for council‑tax collection—ahead of the May local elections. The Green Party, TUSC, Shake It Up...
Landlord’s Appeal Ends in Bigger Fine
Leeds landlord Mohammed Gulzar saw his financial penalty rise from £7,500 (≈$9,450) to £10,500 (≈$13,200) after a First‑tier Tribunal rehearing. The tribunal found multiple safety breaches—including a bypassed gas meter, defective fire alarms and inadequate fire protection—posed a high risk...
Bipartisan Law Expands Affordable Homeownership in Colorado
We’re taking another bipartisan step to expand housing Coloradans can afford. This new law builds on voter-approved Proposition 123, adds flexibility for communities, and helps more hardworking families achieve the dream of homeownership. Thank you to the bipartisan sponsors.
IBP Earnings Reveal Weak April for Homebuilders, Census Data Distrusted
Commentary on Installed Building Products earnings call right now confirms pretty weak April for production homebuilders. $IBP Also interesting hearing C-suite repeatedly say - “we don’t put much trust in recent Census housing starts data.”
NAR's Gen‑Z Homebuying Data Unreliable: 3.5% Snail‑mail Response
Please don't listen to NAR about Gen-Z homebuying trends. They get their data from a snail mail survey with a 3.5% response rate.
Griffin's $238M NYC Penthouse Valued at $9.4M for Taxes
Ken Griffin's $238 million penthouse on Central Park South is actually a $9.4 million penthouse under NYC's property tax system https://t.co/I61Z3v1X67
NY Budget Deal Adds NYC Second-Home Tax, Dilutes Climate Law
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a tentative deal on a $268 billion state budget, with legislative leaders agreeing to impose a tax on second homes in New York City and weaken the state climate law https://t.co/zxwzelWz27
Rays' "Fully Taxable" Stadium Pays Its Own Bonds
Rays execs calling their mixed-use stadium district "fully taxable," it appears, is misdirection: They'll be paying some property taxes, but they'll be paying them to themselves, to pay off bonds for their own stadium. https://t.co/P8XqUu0ad1
Mid‑June 2025 Housing Shift: Demand Drops, Pending Sales Surge
It strikes again now on the other side. You can't go from one chart showing the lowest demand ever to pending home sales jumping this much on the other one. The housing market shifted in mid-June 2025, but... Context is...
Landlords Hide Rent Data Until Tenant Disclosed
Thoughts on this? This is a new one for me in 35 years of doing this. The landlord rep doesn't want to provide the asking rental rate and current OpEx unless the prospective tenant is disclosed ... for an initial market survey. The...