Today's Real Estate Pulse
U.S. housing starts jump 10.8% in March, hitting a 15‑month high
Residential construction starts surged 10.8% in March 2026, matching both month‑over‑month and year‑over‑year growth. The Northeast led the rebound with an 18.9% YoY increase, and single‑family starts topped one million units for the first time in over a year. Meanwhile, permitting lagged and the South saw a 14% YoY drop in permits.
Also developing:
Commentary: Case-Shiller Home Price Index: National Growth Decelerates to 0.7% in February
The S&P Cotality Case‑Shiller National Home Price Index rose just 0.7% year‑over‑year in February, a slowdown from 0.8% in January. The modest gain comes despite a brief dip of the 30‑year fixed mortgage below 6% and follows nine consecutive months of price declines in more than half of the 20 tracked metros. Regional divergence is stark: Denver posted the steepest drop at –2.2%, while Chicago, New York and Cleveland posted gains above 4%. Analysts warn that the correction will likely continue in supply‑rich markets even as rates ease.
Meyer Turku to Build New Headquarters, Launching Multi-Year Investment Program
Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku announced a $46.8 million headquarters project adjacent to its shipyard in the Blue Industry Park. The development will comprise two office towers totaling about 12,000 sq m, with construction slated for summer 2026 and completion in early 2028. The...
Forced Sale Clause Undermines Build‑to‑Rent Viability
This line from the WSJ article on build-to-rent construction freeze tells you a lot: The authors of the ROAD to Housing heard this statement (which is generally true), and totally whiffed on understanding what it meant and why a forced...
Southbridge 1C Breaks Ground, Adding 80 Mixed‑Income Apartments in Chicago’s South Loop
The Community Builders and city officials broke ground on Southbridge 1C, the third phase of the Southbridge redevelopment at the former Harold Ickes Homes site. The 12‑story building will deliver 80 apartments—44 affordable and 29 right‑of‑return units—alongside 1,500 sq ft of retail,...
CBRE Forecasts 18% Rise in US CRE Deal Volume in 2026, Office & Retail Lead
CBRE’s Global Head of Research, Henry Chin, PhD, told Broadcast Retirement Network that U.S. commercial‑real‑estate transaction volume is set to climb 18% in 2026 after a 20% jump in Q1 activity. He highlighted office and retail as the sectors with...
Downtown Women's Center Project Rises at 501 E. 5th Street
Wood framing has begun rising above the concrete podium of Rosa’s Place, a new supportive housing project at 501 E. 5th Street in downtown Los Angeles. The seven‑story building, designed by KFA Architecture and Gensler, will contain 97 permanent supportive...
Affordable Housing Proposed at 1252 W. 38th St. In Exposition Park
A five‑story, 76‑unit affordable housing project has been proposed at 1252‑1258 W. 38th St. in Exposition Park, just south of the Metro E Line. The development will offer studio and one‑bedroom units for low‑ and moderate‑income renters, with no on‑site parking. The applicant, Albert B. Bitong,...
Priority1 Adds Second Floor in Little Rock’s Regions Center to Boost B2B Logistics
Priority1, a Little Rock‑based third‑party logistics firm, signed a lease for an additional full floor in the 30‑story Regions Center tower. The expansion, announced this week, underscores the company's scaling freight operations for B2B clients.
US Case-Shiller February 20-City House Price Index -0.1% M/M vs +0.2% Expected
The S&P Cotality Case‑Shiller 20‑City Composite fell 0.1% month‑over‑month in February, missing the 0.2% gain analysts expected. Prices rose 0.9% m/m versus a 1.1% consensus, while the FHFA index was flat at 0.0% after a prior 0.1% rise (revised to...
Berkeley Targets Net-Zero by 2045 in New Transition Plan
Berkeley Group has unveiled a Net Zero Transition Plan that targets full carbon neutrality across its value chain by 2045, five years ahead of the UK’s national timetable. The plan updates its Science‑Based Targets, committing to an 86% cut in...
Never Let Tenants Bypass Your Team
Cardinal rule of property management: Never allow tenants to go around your team to get a different answer from you. - Undermines your team’s credibility w tenants - Demoralizes them - Guarantees you get a lot more, similar calls going forward (If you...
Office Demand Rebounds to Highest Level Since Covid Pandemic Began
The VTS Office Demand Index hit its highest level since the pandemic, rising 18% from Q4 2025 and 13% year‑over‑year, driven by a surge in new in‑person and virtual tours. Despite office‑using employment falling 2% from 2022, vacancy rates slipped to...
CNN Center as Apartments; Blight Fight; Midtown 'Green House' Sells
CP Group is eyeing a mixed‑use overhaul of the former CNN Center, envisioning apartments, a hotel and affordable housing, while the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority is evaluating a $200 million purchase with CP Group potentially contributing $200‑$300 million for renovations. The...
Why Office Seating Choice Can Boost Productivity by 2.5x
Office designers warn that static workspaces waste money, but flexible seating can dramatically boost output. Gensler’s Global Workplace Survey 2025 shows employees with multiple seating options are 2.5 times more likely to feel productive. Experts recommend activity mapping and easy-to-use...
Eptura Introduces New Innovations Delivering Real-Time Data Visibility and AI-Powered Workflows to Scale Workplace and Operations Management
Eptura, the global work‑tech leader, unveiled a suite of new capabilities that unify built‑environment data, deliver real‑time analytics, and embed AI‑driven assistants across workplace experience, asset management, and space‑planning functions. The rollout adds live desk and meeting‑room usage dashboards, a...
Baltimore's Abandoned Homes Fell 25% in Five Years
While there's much to doom about, a casual reminder that there's been a 25% drop in the number of abandoned homes in Baltimore in the last five years. Never bet against American cities.
393. Debt Liquidity, Senior Housing's Surge, and the 2026 CRE Outlook with Chad Lavender of Newmark
In this episode, Newmark’s Chad Lavender breaks down how unprecedented debt liquidity and diversified equity sources reshaped the commercial real‑estate market during the 2025 loan‑maturity wave and what that means for 2026. He highlights senior housing’s explosive rebound—closing over $12.5 billion...
Flex Office Operator Frameworks Expands London Portfolio with Five Sites
Flexible office operator Frameworks has added five new sites in London, bringing its portfolio to 16 locations—a 53% increase from the prior year. The new spaces include 14,000 sq ft in Westminster, Watchmaker Works and Topham Works in Farringdon, Talbot Works at...
Sector ‘Alarmed’ as Reeves Mulls One-Year Residential Rent Freeze
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a one‑year freeze on residential rent increases in England to cushion households affected by the Middle East conflict. The proposal clashes with housing minister Matthew Pennycook’s recent declaration that the government will not adopt...
Legendre UK JV Wins Consent for London Hammersmith Office-to-Hotel Conversion
Legendre UK, together with Central & Provincial and Candour Properties, secured planning consent for a 70,000 sq ft office‑to‑hotel conversion at Grove House in Hammersmith. The mixed‑use scheme will include a 171‑room hotel, a 131‑seat auditorium, 2,691 sq ft of office space and 1,764 sq ft...
StudioSC Completes Historic Greenwich Village Rowhouse Renovation
StudioSC has finished a full‑scale renovation of a 19th‑century Italianate rowhouse in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, converting the former multifamily building into a 6‑story, 6,500‑square‑foot single‑family residence. The project restores the historic façade while adding contemporary interiors and a seamless indoor‑outdoor...
Hangzhou Binjiang Real Estate Q1 Profit Falls 17% as Revenue Slumps 44%
Hangzhou Binjiang Real Estate Group posted a first‑quarter net profit of RMB810.8 million ($113 million), a 17% decline from the same period a year earlier, while revenue fell 44.5% to RMB12.49 billion ($1.75 billion). The sharp drop underscores mounting pressure on developers in China’s...
Raixer Rolls Out AI‑Powered Smart‑Access for Spanish Residential Communities
Raixer has launched an AI‑enabled smart‑access solution for residential community portals across Spain, replacing physical keys with a fully digital, traceable system. The platform integrates with existing door hardware, promises immediate operational savings, and gives administrators real‑time control over resident...
BlackRock Gets Green Light for 151,000 Sq Ft Spec Bristol Office Redevelopment
BlackRock has secured planning consent to redevelop its 151,000 sq ft Portwall Place office in Bristol, creating floorplates up to 38,000 sq ft – the largest in the city. The refurbishment will add a café, gym, a 4,000 sq ft rooftop terrace, terraces on every level,...
Early Decisions Make or Break Legacy Home Projects
Building a world-class residence is not easy "On paper, it may look like a $20M build. In reality, the stakes are often twice as high when you factor in delays, opportunity costs, internal family dynamics, and reputational risk." Wealthy families...
When Family Homes Don’t Turn Over
Australian housing markets are feeling a squeeze as older owners hold onto family homes longer, thinning resale supply in high‑demand suburbs. Combined with premium school‑catchment zones and a wave of “right‑sizers”—older buyers seeking larger, age‑friendly homes—the competition for limited stock...
New York City Rental Report 2026Q1: The Real Cost of Moving in New York City
New York City’s median asking rent jumped to $3,616 in Q1 2026, a 6.2% year‑over‑year increase and 28% above pre‑pandemic levels. Smaller units saw the strongest gains, with 0‑2‑bedroom rents rising 7.6% while three‑plus‑bedroom rents grew only 2%. All boroughs posted...
Housing Affordability 'Will Never' Return, Dv01 Warns
dv01, part of Fitch, warns that U.S. housing will never regain historic affordability levels. The firm cites a structural shortfall of roughly 3 million homes, with the median home price now 5.1 times median household income. While modest short‑term relief is possible,...
West London House / Goldstein Heather
Goldstein Heather has completed West London House, a 244 sqm four‑storey lateral extension that transforms a narrow Victorian terrace in Stamford Brook into a near‑independent residence, bringing the total floor area to almost 500 sqm. The design prioritises natural light through a...
HELOC and Home Equity Loan Rates Today, April 28, 2026: Why Home Equity Rates Are Different than Purchase or Refi...
Home equity loan and HELOC rates have diverged from primary mortgage rates, with the average adjustable‑rate HELOC at 7.24% and the average fixed‑rate home equity loan at 7.37% as of April 28, 2026. These rates are calculated by adding a lender‑specific margin...
Planning Complex: Why Housing Targets Will Never Be Met
The article argues that the UK’s chronic failure to meet housing targets is rooted primarily in the planning system, not land banking, building regulations, or a skills shortage. It highlights how cumbersome approval processes and under‑resourced local authorities create bottlenecks...
Blackbird Partners Plans Private Hangar Development at Spirit of St. Louis Airport
Blackbird Partners announced a plan to build eight privately owned hangars, called “Nests,” at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Missouri. The 12.7‑acre development will accommodate the largest business jets and include offices, lounges, boardrooms, kitchens, and crew‑rest areas....
ICG Real Estate Backs Arada London’s Residential Scheme with £152m Loan
ICG Real Estate Credit has extended a £152 million (approximately $193 million) loan to Arada London for its latest residential development in the capital. This financing marks the third partnership between ICG’s real‑estate credit platform and the developer, underscoring a deepening relationship....
Award-Winning Care Provider Opens 27-Bed Residential Home
Thornton Hill Care Home, a 27‑bed boutique residential facility, opened near Skipton after a full redevelopment of a restored 1870s manor. The luxury‑focused home offers independent living with daily support, targeting individuals and couples seeking a community‑centric environment. Managed by...
Govt Refuses Forced Eviction, but Staying Becomes Untenable
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong says the government won't force Wang Chi House residents to move, but staying on will be very difficult. • maintenance issues including large payments • lease issues SCMP: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351658/hong-kong-adds-spared-wang-fuk-court-block-resettlement-plan-most-opt-sell
US Home Prices Rise Only 1.2% YoY, Still Deflationary
US home price appreciation slowed to 1.2% YoY in March, and inflation-adjusted remained negative. weighing on US inflation @soberlook AEI Housing Center https://t.co/EGLX7QmA3x https://t.co/5h5g2SST3S
Green Light for Major Hammersmith Office-to-Hotel Conversion
London’s planning authority has approved a 6,500 sqm mixed‑use conversion in Hammersmith, turning a former office building into a hotel, co‑working space and cultural venue. The scheme will add roughly 200 hotel rooms and flexible workspace for businesses. Developers aim to...
AI Fuels Post‑Pandemic Office Demand Surge in NYC, SF
Office demand hit a post-pandemic high in Q1 2026, per the VTS Office Demand Index. AI growth is fueling a surge in San Francisco and NYC. Despite economic shifts, new office tours rose 18% over last quarter. https://t.co/rb8qQNIB9A
Chancellor Hints at Possible Private‑rent Freeze Amid Rising Costs
The Chancellor didn’t rule out a fixed-term freeze on private sector rents when I asked her in Parliament today. As Trump's war in Iran continues to drive up costs, this move would provide vital security for young families, who are most...
Tracking the Build: How Development Finance Shapes the UK's Housing Pipeline
The UK government aims to deliver 1.5 million homes by 2029, but planning delays, labour shortages and cost inflation are slowing progress. Development‑finance lenders are stepping in with flexible underwriting, staged funding and intensive monitoring to bridge the financing gap. If...
Government Pressure Silences Crime Data, Stifles Realtor Transparency
"So without explicitly making such information illegal, the government created a legal and reputational climate that chilled its provision. Portals removed crime maps and realtors became reluctant to answer ordinary buyer questions" https://t.co/O1XRw7TUxi
101 Park Hits 98% Occupancy with Vanderbilt Lease
Look no further than #101Park for #CRE success. 3 new leases-1 from #1Vanderbilt-brings occupancy to 98%. 'A very special place w/expansive views, column free.' Also w/does #GaryBarnett have in mind for #FriarsClub? #NYC #Kalikow #realestate #GrandCentral https://t.co/4VrOekeMKd
London’s Supply Squeeze Tightens as New Office Construction Starts Fall 35%
Deloitte’s 2025 London Office Crane Survey shows new office construction starts slumped 35% year‑over‑year to 4.8 million sq ft, while refurbishments now account for two‑thirds of all activity. Central London delivered 7.1 million sq ft in 2025, an 8% rise and the third‑largest annual...
Wealthy Parents' Aid Beats Universal Housing Scarcity
The discovery that it’s better to have wealthy parents help out their kids enter the housing market vs everyone being quasi pooropean is ahead of us.
How To Invest In Real Estate With No Money
The article outlines a menu of “no‑money‑down” tactics for real‑estate investors, ranging from DSCR loans that rely on rental cash flow to 1031 exchanges, HELOCs, private or seller financing, and the BRRR method. It separates strategies for seasoned investors—who may...
Graham to Deliver First Phase of Solihull Town Centre Revamp
GRAHAM has signed a Pre‑Construction Services Agreement to deliver the first phase of the Holbeche Place redevelopment in Solihull town centre. The phase will create 346 build‑to‑rent homes across four towers, complemented by ground‑floor retail and amenity space. Demolition of...
EQT Real Estate Secures Record $3.5bn European Logistics Fund
Fundraising alert: @eqt Real Estate closes record European logistics fund at $3.5bn hard-cap Read the full story here: https://t.co/r3mrXSHDAM https://t.co/Y3pqTMbiu2
New Business Rates Could See Small Firms Priced Out of Coworking Spaces
The Valuation Office Agency will now tax coworking operators as single entities, stripping them of Small Business Rates Relief. The change could add roughly £600 million ($760 million) in annual taxes to the sector, pushing small firms’ costs up by more than...
Residential Refurbishment Cost Guide UK 2026
The 2026 UK residential refurbishment guide outlines cost tiers ranging from £1,500‑£2,500 ($1,900‑$3,200) per square metre for basic work to over £5,000 ($6,400) for high‑end finishes. Labour remains a major expense, with general builders earning £150‑£250 ($190‑$320) daily and specialist...
A Bipartisan Bill Aimed at Creating New Housing Has Already Failed
A bipartisan Senate bill aimed at speeding up housing construction includes a provision that forces build‑to‑rent developers to sell newly built rental homes within seven years. The prospect of forced sales has already caused developers like TerraLane Communities to pause...