What I'm Reading Buyer's Remorse? RV sales surged during the pandemic. Some new owners are finding vehicle upkeep to be more than they bargained for. USA Today $6 gasoline is only going to add to the buyer's remorse. This is a perfect illustration of why I've been far more bullish...
March 7th – Stepping Up
What I'm Reading Ghost Town: Manhattan’s office availability rate hit 17.4% last month, a new record, according to Colliers data. Since the pandemic began in March 2020, overall availability has increased by 74.1% and now sits at nearly 94M SF. Bisnow Stepping Up: Amazon is pulling back on its logistics...
March 4th – Seller’s Market
What I'm Reading Sellers Market: A new Reuters poll of property analysts suggests that US house prices would rise 10.3% this year. That was an upgrade from 8.0% in the December poll, suggesting underlying demand for housing is still strong and housing supply is still tight. Reuters Hitting the Wall:...
March 3rd – Beware the Ides of March
What I'm Reading Beware the Ides of March: With omicron cases falling, major employers say they spot a window to bring workers back to the office. However, with a tight job market, the question becomes whether or not employees are willing. Wall Street Journal Embedded: Russian oligarchs have spent decades...
March 2nd – Paved Paradise
What I'm Reading Land Rush: The imminent rise of self driving trucks will fuel even more demand for outdoor industrial storage. (h/t Scott Ramser) Wall Street Journal IMO, this previously overlooked space is about to become a darling of the CRE investment world. Why? Demand will continue to increase due...
March 1st – Drop it Like its Hot
What I'm Reading Staying Put: Despite a surge during COVID, US mobility has been falling for decades and the problem is getting worse as affordability issues intensify. When people want to move but can't, it leads to economic stagnation and political polarization. Vox Drop it Like It's Hot: Mortgage rates...
February 28th – Round Trip
What I'm Reading Round Trip: Mortgage rates are back to 2019 levels but prices are far above where they were in 2019. Calculated Risk IMO, the impact on stressed home affordability on rent growth is still being generally underestimated, despite the explosive growth over the past year or so. Pile...
February 18th – Shelter in Place
What I'm Reading Shelter In Place: Higher interest rates will make move up buyers with low, fixed mortgage rates and tons of equity less likely to move. Instead, they will likely renovate or expand their existing homes. At the same time, builders confidence is declining as rates rise and supply...
February 17th – Tale of the Tape
What I'm Reading Tale of the Tape: Mortgage debt as a percentage of GDP sits just below 50%, high on a historical basis but nowhere near GFC levels of over 70%. Calculated Risk Roll Up: Blackstone's BREIT purchased Sunbelt rental apartment owner Preferred Apartment Communities in a 5.8 billion deal. ...
February 16th – Got Ya Covered
What I'm Reading Got You Covered: As commercial real estate lenders and investors eye new yield opportunities, the industrial outdoor storage (IOS) sector has emerged as an asset class with large-scale, long-term growth potential. Commercial Observer The Big Short: Wall Street investment firms are buying up more vacation homes, aiming...