Real Estate News: Real Estate Investing Podcast

Concern about the Wuhan coronavirus is pushing mortgage rates lower. That may seem like a weird cause and effect relationship, but there is a good reason for it. The latest rates for a 30-year mortgage have fallen to their second-lowest level in three years. Freddie Mac reported last week that the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 3.51% and the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage was down to 3%. That's for the week ending January 20th. If you compare it to the average for that same mortgage in January of last year, it's almost 1% lower. And some economists expect rates to fall further as the coronavirus spreads. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending February 1st, 2020... the latest decision on interest rates, the cost of renting vs. buying, and the theft of $10.5 million from RealPage by hackers. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Calls for a wealth tax are getting louder because of a growing gap between the ultra-rich and the not-so-rich. Oxfam International released a report ahead of the World Economic Forum that says the world's 2,153 billionaires have more wealth combined than 60% of the global population. That's about 4.6 billion people. The global anti-poverty organization also says the wealth gap has a much greater impact on women than it does men. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Chicago landlords have a new tenant screening law to abide by called the Just Housing Amendment. It is now part of the Cook County "Human Rights Ordinance" to help people with a criminal record get housing. Landlords need to know about the required screening process to avoid big fines. There's also a similar ordinance that was just approved in Oakland, California. www.NewsForInvestors.com

New rules in Cincinnati will force landlords to provide security deposit "options" to tenants. It's the first such ordinance in the nation to help tenants who can't afford a large cash deposit. The new rules are not sitting well with some landlords who say all-cash deposits are necessary to help protect their properties. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending January 25th, 2020... we'll look at homeseller profit, FICO score changes, and the financial impact of "curb appeal." www.NewsForInvestors.com

Having a good enough credit score to get a loan may not be good enough to save you thousands of dollars in interest. LendingTree did an analysis on the cost difference between a fair credit score and a very good credit score, and the result may surprise you. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending January 18th... we look at home affordability, foreclosures, where people are moving, and renter preferences in 2020. www.NewsForInvestors.com

Rental housing has changed a lot in the last decade, and the start of a new decade gives us a chance see where we are today. These trends are crucial for landlords to know about. By putting them all together, it's easier to see the big picture and whether any adjustments are needed. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The nation sailed by a big milestone in 2019 for the longest economic expansion on record and many economists expect the good times to keep on rolling. But there are plenty of variables looming in the year ahead, and quite a lot of disagreement about which way the wind might blow. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In this Real Estate News Brief for the week ending January 11th, 2020... rental rates in 2019, renting vs. owning, and why you shouldn't abbreviate 2020. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The rules for tax-deferred retirement accounts are changing as of January 1st. A new law called the SECURE Act takes effect on January 1st. It was signed into law by President Trump as part of the 2020 government spending bill. Investment advisers say it will allow more U.S. workers to participate in these plans. There's also a bit of bad news for people who will inherit an IRA. www.NewsForInvestors.com

The new year is bringing lots of new laws. Since many of our members and listeners are in California, I'm going to dedicate today's podcast to a round-up of laws that could affect the real estate world in California. Of course, California often sets a precedent for other parts of the nation as well, so they may be of interest to anyone in real estate. www.NewsForInvestors.com

In our Real Estate News Brief for the week ending on January 4th, 2020... a look ahead at real estate in 2020, a security camera data breach, and an experiment in basic income. www.NewsForInvestors.com