October 12th – Hanging On

What I’m Reading Hanging in There: After showing signs of deterioration when enhanced UI ended, the NMHC Rent Payment Tracker is – remarkably – at exactly the same level that it was at in 2019 for the first week of October.  NMHC  The Great Divide: Pricing expectations between sellers and buyers have continued...

October 8th – Tip of the Iceberg

What I’m Reading Tip of the Iceberg: Germany will introduce new legislation giving all employees the right to work from home in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, following  Ireland, France and The Netherlands.  If this trend continues, it will have negative impacts on office markets around the world.  The Telegraph Time’s...

October 6th – Wipeout

What I’m Reading Wipeout: Los Angeles office leasing has ground to a near-halt, down 61% year-over-year.  Commercial Observer Breaking Point: With studios moving blockbuster releases back to 2021,  movie theaters are among the many businesses that do not have a clear path to recovery. CNBC Resilient: Back when the pandemic shutdowns began, dire predictions of...

October 1st – Cashing Out

What I’m Reading Cashing Out: A new report by Trepp indicates an opportunity for homeowners to use sale-leaseback structures to pull equity out of their homes without having to move.  This would allow equity-rich but cash-poor home owners who have been hit by the pandemic-induced recession a way to avoid foreclosure...

September 18th – Open to Interpretation

What I’m Reading Open to Interpretation: From state to state, and even judge to judge, a simple-sounding order by the C.D.C. to halt evictions through the end of the year due to the pandemic is being enforced in a far-from-uniform manner. The New York Times Full Picture: NMHC’s rent payment tracker for September...

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...