What I'm Reading Bid 'Em Up: An unattainably expensive housing market and record low vacancies have resulted in a once-unthinkable situation - bidding wars for rental units. NPR Kicking the Can: Rising rates will make it difficult for some borrowers on marginal properties to refinance maturing CMBS loans. Expect another...
June 24th – Pulling the Ripcord
What I'm Reading Pulling the Ripcord: Looking back, the non-bank mortgage lenders rushing to sell shares to the public last year was probably the peak of the business cycle. Since then, borrowing costs have doubled, the market has slowed to a crawl and the buyers of those IPOs are left holding...
June 22nd – Make it Rain
What I'm Reading Make it Rain: An LA Times review of state data found that it routinely costs more than $1m per unit to build a subsidized affordable housing unit in California. Between prevailing wage requirements, high material and regulatory costs, the process has become so bloated with corruption and...
June 20th – Domino Effect
What I'm Reading Domino Effect: Higher mortgage rates and a slowing housing market will help slow inflation today. However, it will also lead to less home building and layoffs across the housing industry ranging from builders to lenders and everything in between. As a result, a slowdown today likely makes...
June 13th – Shedding SZN
What I'm Reading Shedding SZN: The popular narrative in the warehouse space is that Amazon has a glut of warehouse space and is looking to dump it via sublease. A closer look at Amazon’s plans to sublet warehouse space show that it is largely looking to shed traditional, mid-market warehouses...
June 9th – How Low Can You Go?
What I'm Reading How Low Can You Go? The MBA's Market Composite Index, which includes purchase and refinance applications, fell 6.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis to 288.4, compared to 645.4 one year ago. That's the lowest level in 22 years. Reuters What a brutal time to be in the...
June 8th – Danger Zone
What I'm Reading Danger Zone: Diesel prices are increasing at a quicker rate than gasoline prices and inventories, especially on the east coast continue to drop. A loss of global refinery capacity is primarily to blame. Freight Waves I'm surprised that this isn't getting more attention. The entire global supply...
June 1st – Disconnect
What I'm Reading Disconnect: US Economic data aren't adding up. Incomes indicate a very strong economy while expenditures show a somewhat weakening one. Something in the data is incorrect. The Overshoot Bullwhip: Lumber prices have shed over 50% since March and lumber yards are filling up as mills slow their...
May 31st – On the Move
What I'm Reading On the Move: The U-Haul move data is out for 2021. Unsurprisingly, RanchHarbor markets Texas, Florida, Arizona, Idaho and New Mexico all did well. California was at the bottom of the list. U-Haul See Also: Verizon data shows that Florida has been the big pandemic migration winner. ...
May 26th – Great Outdoors
What I'm Reading Great Outdoors: Institutional investors are turning their sights on amenity rich campgrounds and RV parks as a way to capitalize on the pandemic boom in vehicle sales and camping. Investors are looking to follow the same institutionalization playbook as single family rentals and mobile homes and see...