This story was originally published on Multifamily Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Multifamily Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Parkview Financial REIT has foreclosed upon a new 102-unit residential property at 1919 Market St. in West Oakland, California, after a loan failure, SiliconValley.com reported on Jan. 15. The outlet reported that an affiliate of the property’s developer, oWow, lost the asset through foreclosure. At that time, the unpaid debt was $58.5 million. ...

Core Viewpoint - President Trump's executive order to restrict Wall Street investors from purchasing single-family homes aims to promote housing affordability but may inadvertently increase prices due to heightened demand without a corresponding increase in supply [1][2][3]. Group 1: Executive Order and Its Implications - The executive order directs federal regulators to promote home sales to individuals and prevent federal programs from facilitating single-family home sales to Wall Street investors [2]. - The order also mandates antitrust scrutiny of institutional home purchases and encourages Congress to codify these changes into law [2]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Expert Opinions - Experts argue that the housing affordability issue is primarily a supply problem rather than a demand problem, indicating that increasing demand without increasing supply will lead to higher prices [4][7]. - Housing prices in the U.S. have increased approximately 75% since 2016, significantly outpacing overall consumer price growth, although the rate of increase has slowed recently, with a mere 1.7% rise in October year-over-year, marking the smallest increase in a decade [9]. Group 3: Supply Chain and Construction Costs - The Trump administration has attempted to ease construction costs, but the federal government has limited ability to boost housing supply as relevant regulations are largely controlled at local levels [6]. - The National Association of Home Builders has been advocating for policies to lower building costs, emphasizing that corporate investment has been beneficial for new home construction [13]. Group 4: Institutional Investment in Housing - Wall Street firms, including Blackstone and American Homes 4 Rent, have acquired thousands of homes since the 2008 financial crisis, owning about 3% of all single-family rental homes by June 2022 [14]. - These firms argue that their investments have not contributed to inflation in housing prices, with Blackstone highlighting its status as a net seller of homes over the past decade [15].

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. In most parts of the U.S., spring is considered the prime time to sell a home. Warmer weather, blooming landscaping, and longer days bring out more buyers–or so the thinking goes. However, a recent Reddit thread is challenging that belief with firsthand stories of buyers scrambling to secure anything reasonably priced during the dead of winter. Low Inventory, High Demand “There is zero inventory here,” ...

Core Insights - The U.S. housing market is experiencing a significant imbalance, with 631,535 more home sellers than buyers in December, marking a 47% gap, the widest since 2013, and an increase of over 22 percentage points from the previous year [2][9] - Despite the surplus of sellers, home prices continue to rise, with existing-home prices increasing for the 30th consecutive month to a median of $405,400 in December [5][8] - The housing market's slowdown could negatively impact overall economic growth by reducing construction, home improvement spending, and consumer mobility [4] Market Dynamics - The increase in sellers provides more options for buyers, yet many still find housing unaffordable due to mortgage rates above 6% throughout 2025 [3] - Both buyers and sellers are retreating from the market, with Redfin estimating only 1.34 million homebuyers in December, the lowest on record [6] - Inventory levels remain tight as homeowners are hesitant to list their properties, leading to a slight increase in existing home sales by 5.1% compared to November, although sales remain near decades-low levels [7] Regional Variations - The best markets for buyers are located in the South and West, particularly in Texas and Florida, where there is a higher concentration of sellers [10] - In contrast, some areas like Nassau County, NY, and Milwaukee show a buyer advantage, with buyers outnumbering sellers by 33% in Nassau County [9][10]

The number of homes going under contract in the U.S. slipped unexpectedly in December, according to a monthly index. ...

Core Viewpoint - Rental housing providers are considered essential partners in addressing the housing affordability challenges in the U.S. [1][6] Group 1: Institutional Investors and Housing Market - As of 2022, mega-landlords owned approximately 3% of the single-family rental (SFR) housing stock, with significant regional variations, such as 25% in Atlanta, 21% in Jacksonville, and 18% in Charlotte [2] - Trump's executive order aims to prevent large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, which he argues should be available for families [4][3] - Concerns have been raised regarding whether institutional investors can still build single-family homes for rent, with interpretations of the executive order being crucial [7] Group 2: Economic Factors Affecting Homeownership - Trump highlighted the inability to claim depreciation on personal homes as a disadvantage compared to corporations, which can deduct property value loss from taxes [8] - Debt was identified as a significant barrier to homeownership, with Trump proposing a cap on credit card interest rates at 10% to assist Americans in saving for homes [9] - The banking industry has criticized the proposal to cap credit card interest rates, indicating potential challenges in passing such legislation [10] Group 3: Government Actions and Market Impact - Trump announced plans for government-backed institutions to purchase up to $200 billion in mortgage bonds to lower interest rates [11] - The appointment of a new Federal Reserve chair is anticipated, which may influence monetary policy and housing finance [11]

Core Viewpoint - Equity Residential (EQR) shares have underperformed over the past year, losing over 11% of their value despite reasonable company performance [1] Company Performance - EQR's performance has been reasonable, indicating that the company's fundamentals may not align with market sentiment [1] Market Sentiment - There is increasing pessimism regarding the trajectory of rental inflation, which has negatively impacted EQR's stock performance [1]

Core Viewpoint - Equity Residential (EQR) shares have underperformed over the past year, losing over 11% of their value despite reasonable company performance [1] Company Performance - EQR's performance has been reasonable, indicating that the company's fundamentals may not align with market sentiment [1] Market Sentiment - There is increasing pessimism regarding the trajectory of rental inflation, which has negatively impacted EQR's stock performance [1]

Core Insights - Median home prices have decreased since their peak at the end of 2022, currently at $410,800, which is still approximately 30% higher than early pandemic levels [1] - Homeownership has become less affordable for first-time buyers, while existing homeowners have seen an 80% increase in equity from 2020 to 2024 [1] State-Level Equity Gains - States with the largest total equity gains include California ($4.63 trillion), New York ($1.82 trillion), Florida ($1.25 trillion), and New Jersey ($1.03 trillion) [4][5] - Total equity gains for other notable states include Massachusetts ($987.97 billion), Washington ($794.75 billion), Texas ($647.14 billion), and Pennsylvania ($582.12 billion) [5] Per Household Equity Gains - States with the highest equity gains per household are Hawaii ($410,976), Massachusetts ($323,070), and California ($311,427) [6] - Other states with significant per household equity gains include New Jersey ($269,963), New Hampshire ($268,984), and Rhode Island ($253,918) [6] Implications of Home Value Increases - A hypothetical 100% increase in home values could generate trillions in equity but would exacerbate the shortage of affordable homes, making homeownership more difficult for first-time buyers [7]

Core Insights - A recent Reddit discussion revealed that many homeowners regret their purchase decisions, indicating a widespread sentiment of dissatisfaction with their current homes [1][2][3] Group 1: Homeowner Sentiments - Many homeowners expressed that they would not buy their current home again, often citing a preference for smaller, cheaper, and newer properties in safer locations [2] - Homeowners reported feeling rushed into purchases due to market pressures, leading to regrets about location, layout, and unexpected neighbor issues [2][3] - The issue of neighbors was frequently mentioned, with complaints about noise and undesirable living conditions affecting satisfaction with their homes [3] Group 2: Regrets and Realizations - Some homeowners regretted compromising on their must-haves, wishing they had opted for larger spaces or better locations [4] - The "golden handcuffs" dilemma was highlighted, where low interest rates from 2020 to 2021 made it financially challenging to move, even when their homes no longer suited their needs [4][5] - First-time buyers often felt unprepared and misled, with some expressing a desire for more honest feedback from real estate agents regarding property negatives [5]