What I'm Reading No Easy Way Out: Builders are slamming on the brakes as home sales slow in light of extremely strained affordability. However, demand turns much quicker than supply and today's stoppage in production will likely sew the seeds of tomorrow's even more pronounced shortage. New York Times Pivot:...
July 20th – Bad Vibes
What I'm Reading Bad Vibes: Homebuilder sentiment dropped 12 points to 55, according to a monthly survey from the National Association of Home Builders, the largest drop in the survey's 37-year history with the exception of April 2020. Sentiment is also declining at a far faster rate than it did...
June 3rd – Window of Opportunity?
What I'm Reading Window of Opportunity: Amazon's warehouse pullback is being viewed by some as an opportunity for logistics companies who have been largely boxed out by the e-commerce giant in recent years to pick up choice locations. Bisnow Instant Gratification: The recent proliferation of delivery apps that promise to...
April 7th – Rise of the Machines
What I'm Reading Rise of the Machines: Drone companies, often backed by massive ecommerce platforms, have been cleared to expand their operations across the U.S. The technology has become faster and more reliable with development. The big question is whether or not it will result in mass adoption. Wall Street...
April 6th – Here We Go Again
What I'm Reading Here We Go Again: After being thwarted last year, the Biden administration is going after 1031 exchanges again in its proposed fiscal budget for 2023. That said, the proposal will meet strong opposition (again) and I sort of doubt that there is appetite for this in a...
March 28th – The Laundromat
What I'm Reading The Laundromat: “In the United States, as in many countries, real estate is an attractive investment for kleptocrats looking to park dubiously sourced money, as it continues to be one of the least transparent industries. This lack of transparency, and the flood of corrupt and illegal cash...
January 17th – In the Spotlight
What I'm Reading In the Spotlight: Non-traditional property sectors like manufactured homes, gaming, cold storage, healthcare and single-family rentals will likely be the top performing CRE assets in 2022. Globe Street Stretched Thin: Guest demand is back across a substantial portion of the hospitality industry. However, shortages caused by supply...
January 7th – Poached
What I'm Reading Poached: Boise, Idaho has an interesting jobs dynamic that I suspect is playing out in other so-called 'Zoom towns' as well. Historically low local wages, coupled with a strong talent pool have made Boise a target-rich environment for coastal companies - especially in tech - looking for...
December 14th – Drop Zone
What I'm Reading Drop Zone: Drone delivery is beginning to look inevitable as developers like Alphabet continue to make breakthroughs and retailers like Walmart test in selected markets. The Diff Arms Race: Amenities aren't just for office employees anymore. Gyms, childcare centers, and restaurants are making their way into logistics...
June 28th – Postponed Again
What I'm Reading Kicking the Can: The CDC announced another extension of the housing eviction moratorium. The moratorium, which was scheduled to end June 30th and will now be pushed to the end of July. At least the length of the extensions is getting shorter, I guess. Globe Street Fighting...