Real Estate News: Real Estate Investing Podcast

If you have gold in your financial portfolio, beware of any holdings connected to Kingold Jewelry. It's now at the center of a massive gold fraud scandal. And what adds another layer of intrigue is the company's location, in Wuhan, China, which is the epicenter of the current pandemic. The gold scandal is not connected to the pandemic, but is it creating new shockwaves connected to China. According to a report by Zero Hedge, 83 tons of fake gold were used to secure loans and insurance policies for Kingold. The gold is supposed to be worth 16 billion yuan or about 2.2 billion dollars but it was discovered that the gold bars were just gold-plated copper. It's believed to be the biggest gold counterfeiting scandal in recent history. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The pandemic is giving many of us "shakephobia." Shaking hands is a common way to express good will and is often used during the closing of a business deal. It's also a great way to spread germs, and maybe not a wise thing to do as the coronavirus spreads. I thought I'd dedicate this podcast to ways you can avoid a handshake without offending the person you are greeting. The handshake has been around for a long time. The message a handshake delivers is one of trust, respect, equality, and, in business, agreement. www.NewsForInvestors.com

It's headline news for residential real estate. The National Association of Realtors is reporting a mammoth 44.3% increase in pending home sales for the month of May. That's after a decline during the previous two months when the pandemic was at its peak. Economists see this as a sign of a "V-shaped" recovery that could help lead the economy out of the current recession. The market for existing homes was pretty much at a standstill for two months. Sellers didn't want to list their homes out of fear of the selling process -- that buyers touring homes would bring germs. Stay-at-home orders also kept the number of buyers to a minimum, especially those who wanted to see a home in person before they signed on the dotted line. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending June 25th, 2020... new home sales are surging, real estate investors are feeling optimistic, and a home buyer priority that can make or break a sale. We begin with economic news from this past week, and some promising signs for the housing market. The government reported a big surge in the sale of new homes in May. They were up a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 16.6%. In May of last year, they were up 12.7%. The Northeast experienced the biggest increase. Sales were up 45.5% in that region. The national median sales price for a new home is $317,900. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Efforts to eliminate signs of racism have swept across the country. From the toppling of confederate statues to the retiring of the Aunt Jemima image by Quaker Oats, individuals and businesses are getting rid of racist symbols. The word "master" is something that's used in the real estate world to describe the main bedroom in a house. In one city, realtors have decided to replace that word on the MLS because it "can" invoke thoughts of slavery. The Houston Association of Realtors stopped using the words "master bedroom" and "master bathroom" on June 15th. Instead, the association is describing those rooms as "primary bedroom" and "primary bathroom."

If you're in the market for a single-family home, chances are you'll have competition this summer. Searches for single-family homes have surged as many more people clamor after the privacy of a home with a yard in the midst of this pandemic. A Redfin report says interest in single-family homes hit a four-year high last month. Tampa is at the top of the list for an increase in single-family web searches, probably due to things like Florida's great weather, low home prices, low taxes, and a friendly business environment. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending June 20th, 2020… competition heats up among home buyers, mortgage rates hit a new low, and what tenants are doing to manage their finances. We begin with economic news from this past week, and testimony from Fed Chief Jerome Powell on the state of the economy. He told members of Congress that some economic data points to a "modest rebound" right now, but he also warned of significant uncertainty about how the recovery may take place. The nation is still at the mercy of COVID-19 as cases rise in some states and new safety measures are put in place. Several states and cities have ordered that masks are worn in public, including California. www.NewsForInvestors.com

There are big changes to the Paycheck Protection Program that benefit independent contractors and sole proprietors. The changes include more lenient requirements for how you spend the money, an easier process for loan forgiveness, and a longer period of forbearance. But the deadline to sign up is approaching at the end of the month, so if you haven't applied yet, the clock is ticking. The deadline to sign up for the Paycheck Protection Program is currently June 30th. That didn't change in the latest update. The changes were authorized in legislation called "The Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act of 2020, which was sent to President Trump's desk for final approval on Friday, June 5th. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The Fed has launched a new lending program to help struggling companies and get people back to work. The Main Street Lending program was announced in March to help small to medium businesses that were doing well before the pandemic, and it's rolling out now at local banks. The loans are not forgivable like those in the Paycheck Protection Program but the terms are generous, and they do fill a lending void for businesses that were too big to qualify for the PPP program. The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston is administering the $600 billion program, but loans are provided through local banks that have registered to participate... www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending June 13th, 2020… the Fed's plan for the economy, why small businesses are optimistic, and a sudden surge in short-term rental reservations. We begin with economic news from this past week and word from the Fed that the federal funds rate will probably stay right where it is, at zero, for the next couple of years. Fed Chief Jerome Powell said in a news conference after the mid-year meeting: "We're not even thinking about raising rates." He didn't mention negative rates either which is something that other countries have done. Powell also said the Federal Reserve would use a "full range of tools" to support the economy. That includes the buying of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities to provide lending liquidity to the market. The Fed's current balance sheet is about $7 trillion dollars. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer unleashed anger across the country over the mistreatment of Blacks throughout American history. Inequality can manifest in many ways and in many parts of our culture, despite laws that outlaw discrimination. Our housing and financial markets are no exception. Although the practice of redlining was banned more than 50 years ago, Redfin says that Black families continue to feel the impact. Redlining came into being in the 1930s. The Home Owners' Loan Corporation rated neighborhoods on their overall likelihood of default or "mortgage security." www.NewsForInvestors.com

The Federal Reserve offered a mid-year update on the economy, after skipping the last update in March due to the pandemic. After a two-day meeting, Fed Chief Jerome Powell delivered his comments in a virtual meeting with reporters. He highlighted the fact that we are in the midst of a difficult and challenging time with great uncertainty about the future. But that said, he offered a potential timeline for a recovery that could make us economically whole over the next couple of years. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending June 6th, 2020... a pleasant surprise about job growth, a forbearance slowdown, and home design that discourages germs. We begin with economic news from this past week and a surprise report on the job market that sent the stock market soaring. The government's job growth report shows a 2.5 million hiring increase for the month of May. That brought the unemployment rate down to 13.3% from a high of almost 15%, because of the pandemic. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The government is doing everything it can to prop up the housing market. But when those props disappear, will we see foreclosures? Investors capitalized on the foreclosure crisis during the Great Recession. Many single-family homes were snapped up at fire-sale prices, and turned into rentals. But, investors hoping for a similar situation may be waiting for quite some time. According to some experts, we will probably see a surge in defaults and foreclosures, but not at such a grand scale and not for several months or even a couple of years. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Some of the nation's biggest landlords are betting on a surge in demand for single-family rentals in the suburbs. JPMorgan Asset Management and American Homes 4 Rent announced a joint venture to build 2,500 new single-family rentals in western and southwestern high-growth markets. They say the deal will capitalize on a post-pandemic desire to move away from apartments in crowded cities. It will also help address a lack of existing home inventory. www.NewsForInvestors.com

It was only a few months ago that cities were worried about how to keep their low-income residents. Now there's concern that the need for social distancing is chasing big companies and their highly-paid employees away. The post-pandemic office environment is going to be different, and there are signs already that businesses are rethinking their office space needs. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending May 30th, 2020... mortgage rates have hit a new record low, landlords keeping tenants with shorter terms, and buyers want homes with outdoor features. We begin with economic news from this past week, and signs of life in the housing market. New home sales were up .06% from March to April, although they were down more than 6% from April of last year. But the increase beat analyst expectations, with the biggest rise in the Northeast. Home sales were up almost 8% in that region. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Choosing between an Airbnb and a hotel will now include COVID-19 risk factors for many people, and at first glance, some travelers may think hotels are better at keeping things clean. But there are several factors to consider when choosing a place to stay overnight, including cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Both lodging options have their benefits and their risks. An article in the New York Times gives hotels the edge over home-sharing services like Airbnb and VRBO. It says that, for years, Airbnb has disrupted the travel industry with more affordable, home-like accommodations, but that COVID-19 is now disrupting the disruptor, in reference to Airbnb. That includes other home-sharing options as well, like VRBO. www.NewsForInvestors.com

States across the nation are giving businesses the green light to reopen, but where are the employees? It seems that a very generous unemployment bonus, authorized by the CARES Act, may be contributing to a decision to remain unemployed. The government is handing out a $600-a-week bonus on top of regular unemployment benefits/ Now, many are getting more from unemployment than they did when they were working. The fact that people are getting this bonus has probably contributed to high rent collection numbers. People have had the money they need to keep up with their obligations. That's the whole point of the extra money, to keep people as close to financially whole as possible. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending May 23rd, 2020... we have a new start to the economy, builder confidence, and markets where home prices are rising. We begin with economic news from this past week, and the beginnings of an economic reopening for all 50 states. Although reopening guidelines are different from state to state, many are lifting restrictions on recreational activities for Memorial Day weekend, with the appropriate social safety measures. There's been a decreasing number of COVID-19 cases and deaths across the nation and in Europe. Africa and other parts of the Americas are still seeing an increase. So the world is not out of the woods yet. But the holiday weekend may mark a turning point for the U.S. www.NewsForInvestors.com

While many short-term rental owners can't attract guests right now, others can't get rid of them. There's word that wealthy guests are squatting in fancy summer rentals because of the coronavirus ban on evictions. That's putting owners in a tough spot. There's word that property owners are worried they could miss out on the summer tourist season. It's not clear if this is happening in other areas, but the New York Post writes that some short-term guests in the Hamptons are refusing to leave, once their reservations have ended. Local landlords and real estate brokers say these tenants moved into their water-front accommodations before the eviction ban went into place and are now saying they can't afford to pay the rent, or to move anywhere else. And these are not cheap places or low-income guests. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The Florida governor is taking steps to restart the vacation rental business but some short-term rental operators are not very happy about the rules. Governor Ron DeSantis banned most short-term rentals in March, while allowing hotels and other kinds of lodging to remain open. Some have filed a lawsuit over a vacation rental ban that they feel has unfairly singled them out. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending May 16th, 2020... a $3-trillion relief bill that will help landlords, a new surge in mortgage applications, and a heart-warming rent payment story out of St. Louis. We begin with economic news from this past week, and House approval of a $3-trillion relief package that includes $100 billion for a national rental assistance program and $75 billion in mortgage relief for multi-family landlords. It also provides another round of stimulus checks for individual taxpayers, and almost $1 trillion to state and local governments faced with steep declines in tax revenue. It's not clear how the legislation will fare in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently said that the three coronavirus bills already approved are enough for the time being. www.NewsForInvestors.com

A return to normal means winning the war against COVID-19 and one weapon in our war chest could be a UVC light bulb. Man-made UVC devices are not new, but their use is expanding as a way to kill the virus. Amazon just announced the development of a UVC robot to disinfect warehouses and Whole Foods grocery stores. There's also another development at Columbia University that could easily kill this virus and keep future ones from ever getting a foothold. www.NewsForInvestors.com

A national rent tracker for apartments shows that May rent collection is better than April. That's not what many people expected given the massive number of job losses and efforts by a small number of activists encouraging a rent strike. Property teams within our own network are also reporting good results for single-family rentals. The National Multifamily Housing Council says that by May 6th, 80.2% of tenants had made a full or partial payment on their rent. Last month, only 78% of tenants had done so. The survey included 11.4 million apartment households and was done the first week of May. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending May 9th, 2020… an economy in turmoil, words of encouragement from Warren Buffett, and a pick-up in mortgage activity. We begin with economic news from this past week and another round of job losses. The latest weekly report shows an additional 3.2 million unemployment claims for a total of more than 20 million jobs lost in April. That's brings us to about 33 million jobs lost since the pandemic began. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The Tampa housing market could be among the first to come roaring back to life after the economy opens back up, according to John Burns Real Estate Consulting. Dallas was named as a potential post-pandemic boom market as well, along with a few other areas. John Burns Real Estate Consulting is well-respected for doing in-depth research on the real estate industry, and specifically for national builders. This latest report looks at geographic opportunities for real estate investors within three categories. www.NewsForInvestors.com

We're in the midst of severe economic shock right now. There are over 30 million job losses in one month, closed businesses, and a 4.8% drop in the GDP, but somehow home prices are rising in some places. That may be a disappointment for homebuyers and real estate investors looking for a deal, although some researchers see lower prices in the coming months. Home prices dropped dramatically during the housing crisis ten to twelve years ago, but that's not what's happening this time around so far. As the Wall Street Journal points out, we've been dealing with a tight inventory for years and, right now, supply has gotten even tighter because sellers don't want to list their homes and because many builders have put things on pause. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The lure of the big city might be fading a bit. A new Harris Poll shows that a growing number of people would like to move away from the city, and that preferences for other lifestyle habits are changing. The poll includes a wide range of questions from how people intend to buy their food in the future to whether they are worried about dying from the virus.. This particular Harris Poll has been tracking coronavirus trends since mid-March and includes more than 300 questions. It appears that many of the questions have been added in more recent weeks, such as the ones about migrating to more rural areas. Each "wave" of the poll is done weekly over a three-day period with the latest information from the last week of April. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending May 2nd, 2020, First-Quarter GDP, a new low for mortgage rates, and a surge in demand for single-family homes. We begin with economic news for this past week and the staggered reopening of some state economies. At least 30 states have started allowing businesses to carefully reopen, or have announced plans to do so this month, but each state has different guidelines and timelines. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Many U.S. malls are at risk of closing for good because of the pandemic. A new analysis by Green Street Advisors is predicting that coronavirus shutdowns will push department stores into bankruptcy, and force more than half of all U.S. malls to close by the end of the year. If you are a homebuyer or investor, you should check on the status of a nearby mall to see if it might affect your property value. Green Street says there are 1,000 malls still operating in the U.S. and about 60% of them are anchored by department stores... www.NewsForInvestors.com

California is not known as a landlord-friendly state, and a few new laws are adding to that reputation. In addition to statewide rent control that caps rent increases and makes it difficult to evict bad tenants, at least two cities in the San Francisco Bay Area have completely outlawed the use of criminal background checks to screen tenants. These "fair chance" housing laws are designed to prevent homelessness among the formerly incarcerated, but are they fair to landlords? www.NewsForInvestors.com

Real estate is holding strong among Americans who see it as the best way to invest. This marks the fifth year in a row that real estate has taken the number one spot in a Gallup poll on investing preferences. It was conducted in early April, after the recent COVID-19 stock market sell-off. It's no secret that I'd choose real estate over stocks, but this poll shows that many other Americans feel the same way. 35% of the pollees chose real estate as their preferred method of investment while 21% chose the stock market. That's a bigger gap than last year. Stocks lost six percentage points, while real estate held on to 35. Gold and bonds both trail stocks but they took points away from stocks as people put more emphasis on those options. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 25th, 2020... the staggered reopening of the U.S. economy has begun, two small business rescue programs are being refunded, and the home sale slump could be reversing. We begin with economic news from this past week, and plans, by some states, to slowly restart their economies. The state of Georgia is taking the first steps with the cautious reopening of some businesses on Friday, April 24th. While states, like Georgia and South Carolina, are planning to ease stay-at-home restrictions, others are extending them because modeling shows they are still at risk. A model maintained by the University of Washington shows that Montana could safely reopen on May 1st, and that Alaska, Hawaii, North Carolina, Vermont and West Virginia could do so on May 10th. At least half the states should wait until May 25th or later. www.NewsForInvestors.com

We're sure to see some changes in the post-pandemic economy, and one of them could be an increased demand for single-family rentals. Potential homebuyers who have been furloughed or have lost their jobs no longer qualify for mortgages. Those who do have their jobs may not have the down payment, high credit score or reserves needed to get a loan. But with the concern that social distancing could be a longer-term way of life, they may also prefer to rent a single-family home instead of an apartment if they are forced to remain renters for awhile. www.NewsForInvestors.com

A recent change in lending could impact real estate investors, especially if more lenders follow suit. Over the weekend, JPMorgan Chase stopped accepting HELOC applications. The bank posted the notice on its website saying it's a temporary suspension due to the current economic uncertainty created by COVID-19. Lenders have also been tightening loan standards. Chase says it will continue to review already-submitted applications for home equity lines of credit, and HELOCs that have already been issued are not affected. But investors who might want to jump on a real estate buying opportunity by tapping into their home equity, face a shrinking pool of funding options. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 18th, 2020... we'll take a look at whether the pandemic will impact home prices, the good news about rent collection, and what banking regulators are doing to help home sales. We begin with economic news from this past week, which hasn't been great but there are a few bright spots, including plans to loosen up "stay at home" orders over the next several weeks. www.NewsForInvestors.com

If you are a landlord in need of financial help from the disaster loan program and you haven't applied yet, you'll now have to wait until Congress agrees to provide more funding. The Small Business Administration announced on Wednesday, April 15th, that the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or EIDL, and the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, have both run out of money and will not be accepting new applications. Already submitted applications are still being considered, but the process is slow-going. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Rent default reports are coming in and they are not as bad as some headlines might lead you to believe. You may have seen reports that 30% of renters were unable to pay their rent in April because of pandemic-related lay-offs and furloughs. But that's somewhat misleading. There has been an increase in defaults, but it's not 30% above normal. In this podcast, we're going to take a look who's paying, who isn't, and what landlords can do to increase rent collection while they also help tenants survive this crisis. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 10th, 2020… a new deadline for the 1031 exchange, a housing market rebound, and a pullback by lenders. We start with economic news from the past week… but first, important news about the 1031 exchange. The IRS published a notice on Thursday, April 9th, announcing extended deadlines for 1031 exchanges because of the coronavirus. The new deadline is July 15th for anyone with a deadline between April 1st and July 15th. That applies to both the 45-day deadline and the 180-day deadline. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The Federal government is pumping trillions of dollars into the U.S. economy to offset damage from the coronavirus pandemic. But, as businesses remain closed and much of the U.S. workforce unemployed, we will likely see some amount of damage -- including the sale of distressed properties. While that's never a good thing for the seller, it creates a potential buying opportunity for the real estate investor. The Wall Street Journal reports that a number of institutional investors are sitting on piles of cash for what could be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to buy properties at a big discount. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Forbearance will help save property owners who can't pay their mortgage, but who's going to save the mortgage service companies that have to pay the bond holders? Major players in the housing industry say that without a bailout, companies like Quicken Loans, Freedom Mortgage, Mr. Cooper, and other nonbank mortgage companies could have a serious liquidity problem. FHFA Director, Mark Calabria, doesn't agree. He says there's no evidence of a systemic failure among nonbanks. The pandemic has triggered concerns about another foreclosure crisis because of all the job losses. That prompted the creation of a mortgage forbearance program for homeowners as part of the $2 trillion Cares Act. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Airbnb has set up a fund to help hosts dealing with coronavirus cancellations. Travelers ditched plans for vacations, work trips, and family get-togethers when the virus spread. And then, Airbnb promised full refunds. Airbnb's "Host Relief Fund" will help cover some of the lost revenue, but many hosts are coming up short. We don't know yet how the coronavirus will impact the overall housing market, but for Airbnb hosts, the impact was felt almost immediately. Big events that draw huge numbers of people to destination hot spots were cancelled, and along with them, Airbnb reservations. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending April 4th, 2020... rent payments are now due, new data on top population growth cities, and how renters are dealing with their plans to move. We begin with economic news from this past week, and the distribution of stimulus checks to American consumers. Adults earning less than $75,000 will get the full $1,200 amount. Parents will also receive $500 for each dependent child. The IRS is expecting those payments to start going out by the end of April. That should help many Americans pay their bills, including the rent. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Just days after the largest stimulus package in history was signed, talks have begun on what could be "phase four" of the coronavirus stimulus plan. A few of the ideas being discussed include major infrastructure spending and a rollback on the cap for SALT deductions. President Trump signed phase one of the virus rescue plan in early March. It authorized $8.3 billion for the initial response including money for state and local governments, virus research, testing, and vaccine development. Phase two was signed on March 18th for $100 billion that expands unemployment benefits and provides tax credits to employers for paid sick leave. Phase 3 is the big one so far. The $2.1 trillion dollar package went into effect on March 27th and includes major relief for consumers in the form of direct bank deposits or checks, tax deferrals, state aid, loans to small and large businesses, and some grants for several impacted businesses like airlines. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending March 28th, 2020… ugly numbers for job losses and economic growth, a possible "snapback recovery", and encouraging news about medical supplies. We begin with economic news from the past week and a $2.2 trillion dollar COVID-19 rescue package that helps individuals and companies. The short list of money hand-outs includes $100 billion for hospitals and virus-related healthcare, $290 billion for an infusion of cash into consumer pockets, $350 billion for small-business loans, and $500 billion for hard-hit industries, like the airlines. www.NewsForInvestors.com

There's something in it for everyone. The federal government approved a $2 trillion dollar virus relief package last week called the CARES Act. That stands for "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security." The legislation is almost 900 pages long so it's not a quick read, but details are emerging on what's inside. And, there is help for people in the real estate industry including real estate investors and landlords. I want to talk about the CARES Act, but first, I'd like to mention another big announcement on Monday, March 30th. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an advisory that said real estate should be considered an essential business. www.NewsForInvestors.com

As unemployment claims soars due to "Shelter in Place" mandates in cities across the nation, lenders who offer non-qualifying mortgage loans are also shutting their office doors. There have been several headlines recently about lenders suspending non-QM loans which could impact real estate investors. An article in HousingWire on March 20th suggested that non-QM lending is the latest victim of the coronavirus. (1) Non-QM loans had become more common in recent years for borrowers who don't have a traditional income source, and need alternative methods of income verification. Many real estate investors fall into this category. And due to the uncertainty created by the virus, several lenders have recently announced they are suspending non-QM loans. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The U.S. was expecting to have one of the best spring home-buying seasons in years, until we got hit with the Coronavirus daily news. Still some markets continue to boom, while others are on a time-out. In California, where there's a statewide shelter-in-place order, the California Association of Realtors also advised against any open houses, home tours or face-to-face meetings with clients. (1) That scene is playing out in other markets as well, even as low interest rates dangle like a carrot in front of our noses. www.NewsForInvestors.com

There's been a lot of talk about rent moratoriums and eviction bans for struggling tenants, but what happens when landlords can't pay mortgages and other expenses for those very same rentals? There's been a growing chorus of questions and lobbying efforts in regard to relief for property owners, and some big announcements about forbearance options that apply to landlords in both the single-family and multi-family realm. It's now critical that people are able to "shelter in place" to help stop the spread of the virus. Many local governments have issued orders to stay at home, except for essential needs that include jobs that are also considered essential. While some people are going to work and returning to the safety of their homes, many more are laid off and sheltering in place 24/7. www.NewsForInvestors.com