Is land-use regulation holding back construction productivity?
Ed Glaeser is perhaps the pre-eminent urban economist working today, and I’ve cited his work repeatedly when looking at land-use restrictions and burdens on new development.
So I was very interested to see he’s coauthored...
Costco life
Costco has jumped into the nation’s affordable housing crisis. The warehouse retailer, which operates more than 500 stores across the U.S., broke ground on a different type of superstore in September—one that will include...
The incredible disappearing Starwood CRE investor
The $10 billion fund from Starwood Capital Group has been trying to preserve its available cash and credit by limiting investor redemptions. In the first quarter, the fund was hit with $1.3 billion in...
Superwood promises greener cities
InventWood’s “Superwood,” a new engineered material touted as stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum, is drawing attention from environmentalists and investors alike. The product, created by modifying natural wood at the cellular level,...
Increasing apartment supply is slowing new lease-up velocity
Increasing apartment supply is slowing new lease-up velocity, said Madera Residential head of investment strategy and research Jay Parsons. Leasing velocity for newly built apartments is at its slowest pace in recent...
Office to apartments
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Hybrid work is likely here to stay. This shift isn’t just changing lifestyles—it’s also affecting commercial spaces. Office vacancy rates post-COVID shot up almost overnight, and they remain near 20 percent nationwide, the...
Which multifamily market will see the highest rent growth in 2025?
Moody’s Analytics associate director and economist Nick Villa gazes into his crystal ball to determine which markets will see the highest apartment rent growth in 2025.He leans on Moody’s Q3 2024 Preliminary...
Affordability is re-emerging as a tailwind for market-rate apartments.
Affordability is re-emerging as a tailwind for market-rate apartments. One takeaway from data discussed on a RealPage podcast this week is that rent-to-income ratios have returned to pre-pandemic levels, suggesting affordability issues...
The U.S. does not have a housing shortage
The word “shortage” has a very specific meaning. It refers to the inability to purchase a good at the current market price (or at any price). Rent control, which restricts the legal price of...
Opportunity Zones: A path forward
Opportunity Zones (OZs) have emerged as a significant tool in driving investment into underdeveloped areas, offering a compelling case for their continuation and expansion. Since their inception in 2017, OZs have attracted nearly $100...
INFOGRAPHIC: Disparate impact of high interest rates
Disparate impact of high interest rates has adversely impacted millions of low- and middle-income families—and housing providers. More often high interest rates depress stock and housing prices, and other asset values— impacting all income...
INFOGRAPHIC: Appliance payoff models explode
^58 percent increase in requested quotes to thousands of appliance repair businesses y/y (2022-2023)
^43 percent increase in appliance spend in 2023 compared to 2013—rising from $390 to $558 over the decade
Why? 1987. Home appliances...
The price of disorder
I was once pitched a deal in the heart of the Amazon—Manaus, Brazil. What was I buying? Firstly, a commercial asset. But I couldn’t shake my concern around governance. The sanctity of a contract...
The housing theory of childless cat ladies
Would a YIMBY building boom rejuvenate urban family life or produce sterile, megacity hellscapes?
Housing Boom = Baby Bust?
America’s low birth rate is in the news again, thanks largely to Vice Presidential candidate Sen. J.D....
California to turn unused school land into millions of housing units
In an effort to address a lack of housing that officials say has contributed to a shrinking teaching workforce, the California Department of Education is planning on converting undeveloped school lots into affordable housing.
State...
