What I’m Reading Building Inferno: Three million of California’s 12 million homes are at high risk for wildfires per CalFire. That designation hurts home values, which in turn increases mortgage default risk, according to research by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). If fires continue to cause more damage and insurance...
September 14th – Opening Up
What I’m Reading Opening Up: The Securities and Exchange Commission modified its definition of “accredited investor: in August, changing who is allowed by law to invest in private securities offerings. The new definition is less restrictive, which will likely open up an opportunity for more investors to participate in private real...
September 11th – Rolling Over
September 10th – Can’t Get Out
Can’t Get Out: US imports from Asia in August jumped 34 percent from June, driven by ongoing strong demand for e-commerce fulfillment and personal protective equipment (PPE). Imports from China alone last month were up 32 percent from June. I’ve been skeptical about the whole re-shoring-due-to-COVID narrative (outside of perhaps...
September 9th – Hot Spot
What I’m Reading Hot Spot: California investors typically account for 30% to 40% of transaction volumes in Arizona, but recently, that number has increased to 50% as capital from the Golden State flocks to more business friendly locales. Globe Street Setting a Precedent: There are several shut-down generated lawsuits currently making their way...
September 8th – Move In Special
What I’m Reading Move In Special: Office landlords are increasingly offering up more free rent and larger TI packages in an effort to attract tenants but still maintain base rental rates. This is why its so critical to look at net effective rent – the base rates do not come close...
September 4th – Hard Stop
What I’m Reading Hard Stop: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using its quarantine authority to temporarily halt evictions in order to keep COVID-19 from spreading. The order is effective immediately and will run through the end of the year. People earning under $99,000 a year or couples earning...
September 3rd – Stocking Up
What I'm Reading Stocking Up: US retailers — burned by stock-outs in the second quarter as the retail inventories-to-sales ratio hit a 2020 low in June — are ramping up imports, sending a vast majority of their cargoes through Southern California to feed waves of e-commerce orders to avoid getting...
September 2nd – The Waiting Game
What I'm Reading Waiting Game: Although many tenants are not paying rent and many landlords are not paying their mortgages, the floodgates for distressed opportunities have not yet opened, largely because of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums. Deal flow will start once these moratoriums lift and the first shoe to drop...
September 1st – Liftoff
Welcome to Basis Points, a daily go-to for the best and most interesting curated commercial and residential real estate stories, combined with original commentary and analysis.If you are frequent reader of my blog (formerly Landmark Links), you may have picked up on some hints I’ve been dropping about an upcoming...