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:
Evicting a Family Member With No Lease Can Be Painful, but Not That Problematic
Homeowners who house relatives without a lease may still face formal eviction if the occupant is deemed a tenant or licensee under state law. The process mirrors standard tenant evictions: serve a written notice, file a court petition, and, if necessary, involve law enforcement. Accepting rent can reset notice periods and grant the relative additional rights. Legal expenses often range from $1,000 to $10,000, making negotiated exits a practical alternative.
The Hidden Reason Your Bathroom Is Costing You More and More Money Every Year
Hard water deposits are silently degrading bathroom plumbing, narrowing pipes, and forcing fixtures to work harder. Scale buildup can cut water‑heater efficiency by up to 30% and halve its service life, while leaking valves raise water bills amid rising rates....
HECMs Lose Ground to Proprietary Reverse Products
Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements slipped 1.4% from February to March, falling to 2,088 loans and remaining below the 2,320 recorded in April 2025. At the same time, proprietary reverse‑mortgage products are gaining traction, now representing 52% of first‑quarter...
Mortgage Rates Climb Above 6.5%, Looming Market Turbulence
Mortgage rates are back over 6.50%. Anyone who thought the worst was over given what's happening with oil prices and tensions in the ME has another thing coming. Ideally things settle down again later this year, but the next couple months could...
Quebec Set to Get Its Tallest Wooden Building
JCB Construction Canada has broken ground on a 12‑storey mass‑timber rental tower in Terrebonne, Quebec, backed by Fonds de solidarité FTQ. The development initially offers 164 units but could expand to over 400 units across two towers of 12 and...
SMBC Scoops Up 200K SF For New HQ In Charlotte
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (SMBC) will sublease 200,000 square feet at 301 S. College St. as its second U.S. headquarters in Charlotte, moving from its current 500 E. Morehead St. office. The bank announced a $50.5 million investment and plans to...
![Cotality [Sponsor]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/56e17b54b621b1116dc6f2da68ad0d29.webp)
Cotality [Sponsor]
Cotality is building a data‑layer that consolidates property listings, analytics, and risk signals such as climate exposure into a single, decision‑ready platform. The service targets multiple‑listing‑service (MLS) operators who struggle with fragmented data sources. By normalizing and enriching raw inputs,...
Borrower Says Mr. Cooper's Escrow Blunder Sent His Home to Tax Sale
A federal lawsuit filed May 1, 2026 accuses mortgage servicer Mr. Cooper of misrouting escrow tax payments to the wrong parcel, leading to a Louisiana homeowner’s property being sold at a tax sale in June 2025. The borrower, Tyler Michael Crochet, repeatedly flagged the...
Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation Expands to 9K SF at Resnick’s 133 East 58th Street
The Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation has expanded its Midtown headquarters at Jack Resnick & Sons’ 133 East 58th Street by 2,256 sq ft, bringing its total footprint to 9,000 sq ft. The nonprofit, which moved into the building last summer, will use the additional space to broaden...
States Step Into the Void with ‘Mini-CFPBs’, Creating New Risks for Brokers
With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) operating at reduced staffing levels, several states are moving to fill the enforcement vacuum. Illinois is considering a bill to create a state‑level “mini‑CFPB,” and other Democrat‑run states are watching closely. The patchwork...
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Home Improvement's Long Winter May Be Thawing – Placer.ai Blog
Home Depot and Lowe’s posted modest but meaningful foot‑traffic gains in Q1 2026, with YoY increases of 1.9% and 2.0% respectively. The rebound follows several quarters of decline and aligns with comparable‑sales growth reported in their earnings. While January’s surge was amplified...
Nashville Inventory Spikes, Prompting Steep Price Cuts
Nashville's housing market is rolling over hard. The music city just eclipsed 10,000 listings, the most inventory in a decade. And an astounding 67% above the long-term average for the month of April. Such high supply is now leading to a burgeoning...
Real Estate’s Most ‘Loyal Customer’ — and How to Win Them Over
The United States recorded over 10 million Hispanic homeowners in 2025, marking a historic milestone for the nation’s youngest major demographic. NAHREP CEO Gary Acosta told the 2026 T3 Leadership Summit that agents who demonstrate authenticity and earn trust can secure...
Developers Want To Copy The Battery Atlanta Success Story. Experts Say It's Not As Easy As It Looks
The Atlanta Braves’ Battery Atlanta mixed‑use complex posted a record $97 million in revenue last year, a $30 million jump driven largely by $27 million of new rental income. The success has sparked interest from other sports franchises and universities eager to emulate...
‘Better than a Vacant Lot’: Toronto Developers Turn to Pickleball and Self-Storage as Condo Construction Chill Sets In
Toronto’s condo market has stalled, with zero new project launches in Q1 2026—the slowest pace in three decades. Developers face high carrying costs and are pausing dozens of projects, prompting a shift toward alternative land uses such as self‑storage, pickleball...
The Beach House Might only Cost $250,000
A luxury buyer balks at a $250,000 premium on a $4.15 million beach house, offering $3.9 million instead. The article attributes the decision to Kahneman’s certainty effect and loss‑aversion, not pure market valuation. By treating the extra cash as a certain loss,...
Software Firm Found Liable For Fraud Lists 189K SF Broward Office
Chetu Inc., a global custom‑software developer, is marketing its 189,000 SF Sunrise office building after a 2021 $25 million purchase. The property, listed at about $30 per square foot on a triple‑net lease, currently has a single 36,000 SF floor occupied while the...
Doctor Turns Pandemic Pay Cut Into 16‑Property Real Estate Portfolio
Minneapolis‑St. Paul OB‑GYN Jennifer Tessmer‑Tuck turned a 50% pandemic salary reduction into a 16‑property rental portfolio that produced about $28,000 in net cash flow in 2025. Her disciplined, self‑managed approach illustrates how physicians and other professionals are diversifying income amid...
Landlords Push $1.5 Billion Settlement Over Pandemic Eviction‑Moratorium Losses
A coalition of over 1,500 property owners, led by Texas landlord Matthew Haines, is negotiating a settlement with the Justice Department to recoup as much as $1.5 billion they say they lost when the CDC’s eviction moratorium halted rent collection. The...
Retirees Flood South Carolina, Texas and North Carolina Seeking Lower Costs and Better Care
Retirees aged 65 and over migrated to South Carolina (5,427 net arrivals), Texas (5,156) and North Carolina (3,202) in 2025, chasing cheaper housing, modest tax burdens and lower health‑care expenses. The trend is reshaping housing demand and personal‑finance strategies for...
2026’s Top Buying Cities Ranked by MLS Sales
Top cities in the region. This is where buyers are purchasing. Ranked in order with the number of MLS sales so far in 2026. I hope this is helpful.
Higher Property Taxes Can Lower Your Monthly Payments
Here's how higher property taxes convert into LOWER monthly payments by keeping the house price lower to begin with. https://t.co/XN9nc2PHI4
San Jose Breaks Ground on First Type 1A Fire‑Resistant ADU
Builtech Construction broke ground on an 850‑square‑foot accessory dwelling unit in San Jose, the city’s first built to the Type 1A fire‑resistance classification. The $350,000 project uses insulated concrete form (ICF) construction, delivering non‑combustible walls, seismic strength and energy efficiency, and...
Trump Quietly Opposes Senate-Backed Housing Bill He Once Backed
President Donald Trump is privately raising concerns with a Senate-approved housing bill that his White House previously supported — and almost made his objections public late last week. Scoop w/@meganmesserly @Jasper_Goodman @hapgoodreports https://t.co/LnRGbWgxBZ
Higher Property Taxes Actually Boost Housing Affordability
Here's an illustration for how lower property taxes HURT affordability. Higher property taxes HELP affordability. https://t.co/VdulSJHEhr
How a Sneaky Refi Market Lets Brokers Rescue High-Rate, High-Debt Borrowers
Mortgage brokers are finding a hidden refinance niche despite 30‑year rates hovering between 6.3% and 6.5% this spring. With a growing share of homeowners stuck on mortgages above 6%—some as high as 8%—brokers can target these high‑rate borrowers for cost‑saving...
Mortgage Spreads Hit 2023 Lows, Rates Near 8%
If we had the worst levels of mortgage spreads in 2023, we are close to 8% rates https://t.co/sLnq98D0Ce
Top Buyer Hotspots Across Local Counties Revealed
Where are buyers purchasing? Here are the top locations in a few local counties. I have 12 counties in case you want to see another area. Let me know. https://t.co/3dbxQEr33F
San Francisco's Housing Market Is Booming because of AI. This Real Estate Stock Should Benefit
San Francisco’s rental market is accelerating as AI‑driven tech jobs flood the Bay Area, pushing vacancy rates below 30 % and sparking bidding wars. Median home prices climbed 19 % in March to $1.7 million, far above the national average. Piper Sandler upgraded Essex...
Smaller Homes Drive Affordability for First‑time Buyers
The key attribute of “Starter Homes” … is that they are SMALLER It’s how they are able to be more affordable to younger people.
Mortgage Rates Climb as Inflation Rebounds and Yields Rise
Mortgage rates rose in April, with the 30‑year fixed reaching 6.34% and the 15‑year climbing to 5.69%, marking a 16‑basis‑point and 13‑basis‑point increase respectively. The jump mirrors a higher 10‑year Treasury yield of 4.31%, up 7 basis points, as oil...
Affordable Housing Development Is Boosting Oklahoma’s Economy: Report
A recent Urban Institute report finds that 45 affordable‑housing projects built in Oklahoma between 2019 and 2023 generated over $800 million in economic output, with projected impact exceeding $1 billion over the next decade. The developments leveraged $295 million in state and federal...
Inventory Watch
The NSDCC market shows active commercial listings rising to levels similar to last year, now totaling 63 in the $0‑2 M segment, 105 in $2‑3 M, 78 in $3‑4 M, and 223 above $4 M. Meanwhile, the number of pending sales has slipped well...
AirTrunk and PDG Expand Data Center Footprint in Southeast Asia
AirTrunk announced a $3 billion investment to build two hyperscale data centers, JHB3 and JHB4, in Johor, Malaysia, pushing its total Malaysian IT load above 700 MW and its regional commitment to $6.8 billion. The existing JHB1 and JHB2 campuses are nearly 100%...
North Carolina Targets Hyperscale Costs with Proposed AI Infrastructure Bill
North Carolina lawmakers introduced the Ratepayer and Resource Protection Act, requiring hyperscale data centers of 40 MW or more to pay the full cost of power, water and infrastructure and to forgo state and local tax incentives. The bill also mandates...
Los Angeles Seniors Face $185K Exit Tax vs $10K Upkeep
“In the Los Angeles area, for example, the average exit tax for homeowners 65 and older is $185,000, while the annual cost of insurance, maintenance and property taxes on a zombie home is only about $10,000, the data showed..” https://t.co/IQziF3MH1R...
Vancouver Real Estate Rundown: Apr 27 - May 3, 2026
The Bank of Canada left its policy rate unchanged at 2.25% as energy‑price spikes push inflation forecasts higher. Vancouver began a public engagement process to revise its Higher Buildings Policy, while the Avalon Hotel SRO entered receivership, underscoring downtown affordability...
Inside Waterfront Toronto’s New Mass-Timber Office
Waterfront Toronto opened a new office inside the T3 Bayside building on Queens Quay East. Designed by WZMH Architects, the space showcases mass‑timber construction and earned LEED Gold and WiredScore Platinum certifications. Flexible work zones, a retractable boardroom partition, and...
Governments Shift Tax Burden to Second Homes
When it's difficult to raise income taxes, but when there budget shortfalls... they'll tax you in other places... taxes on second homes are becoming more common... https://t.co/SOWgh37RzU
Many Homebuyers Held Back by Financing Misconceptions
A Veterans United poll of 400 prospective buyers reveals widespread misconceptions about mortgage qualifications, including credit scores, down payments, and interest rates. Over a third think a 700+ credit score is required, while many believe a 20% down payment is...
NYC Targets Vacant $5M+ Second Homes with New Tax
JUST IN: NYC proposes a tax on second homes valued over $5 million that aren’t lived in full time
AI Deepfakes Are Moving Into Commercial Real Estate Operations
Artificial intelligence‑generated deepfakes are amplifying business email compromise schemes, now targeting commercial real‑estate operations. The FBI attributes over $2.9 billion in losses to BEC, and AI voice cloning is making vendor invoices, escrow wires and vacancy transitions vulnerable. Fraudsters start with...
Silicon Valley Home Prices Soar to Ridiculous Levels
Silicon Valley real estate has gone up a lot in price but this is ridiculous.
DiamondRock Sells Courtyard Hotel in Manhattan for $33M
DiamondRock Hospitality Company sold its leasehold interest in the 189‑room Courtyard by Marriott New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue for $33 million. The price reflects a 6.3‑times multiple on the hotel’s projected 2025 adjusted EBITDA and a 13.3% capitalization rate on 2025 net...
Broncos Unveil $150‑Acre Mixed‑Use Stadium District Plan for Denver’s Burnham Yard
The Denver Broncos have submitted a 150‑acre infrastructure master plan for Burnham Yard, outlining a mixed‑use stadium district with an Entertainment Zone, new parking structures and a tailgate park. The proposal, which expands Eighth Avenue and adds a “Broncos Way”...
Nelson, NZ Real Estate Gains Momentum as Lifestyle Appeal and Affordability Drive Buyer Surge
Nelson's residential market is outpacing New Zealand's main centres as lifestyle‑driven buyers and investors flock to the region. Median prices rose 2.1% in 2025, while entry‑level homes sit around $325,000 USD and premium suburbs near $528,000 USD, bolstered by low...
Cities Must Keep Families Affordable, Not Displace Them
“Let’s get you home” -Zillow ad featuring a pregnant woman downtown THIS is the moment The City loses too many families More people should feel it’s possible to have a baby and stay in their neighborhood https://t.co/7Php6x9yQ6
Blackstone, Saudi Wealth Fund Collect £4m Dividends From Four Morrisons Stores
Private equity giant Blackstone and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund collected about $5.1 million in dividends from four Morrisons supermarket properties. The assets, bought for roughly $140 million in a 2023 sale‑and‑leaseback deal, were financed with an $84 million loan from Israel’s Leumi...
Affordable Housing Slated for 4061 S. Main St. In Historic South-Central
An early‑20th‑century two‑story building at 4061 S. Main St. in Historic South‑Central is slated for demolition to make way for a new seven‑story affordable housing complex. The development will deliver 83 studio, one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom units, with 31 parking...
How Management, Property Type Can Help Apartment REITs Weather Rent Downturn
RBC forecasts Canada’s apartment vacancy rate to top 3% by 2026 as immigration slows and new supply floods the market, pressuring rents. Equiton Living’s COO Jonathan Fleischer says the downturn is cyclical, not structural, and highlights that legacy, affordable buildings...