The Landlord Loyalty Tax
Monday, November 09
Today's Read Time: 16 minutes (totally worth it, we go deep!) This week, we're talkin' the loyalty tax: America's largest landlords are cutting rents for applicants and raising them on tenants. What gives?! I'll walk through why they can get away with it, what it does to the value of the buildi...
Has Circular Financing Reached the Homebuilders?
Monday, November 02
This week, we're talkin' self-dealing in the subdivision: how Lennar appears to have sold more than a thousand finished houses to a company its own chairman controls, and why some of those houses are sitting empty in the Nashville area. On the eve of Election Day, I walk through Florida's propert...
As Washington Chases Big Landlords, a Quieter Apartment Shortage Takes
Monday, October 26
Welcome to the Skeptical Investor blog, right here on BP! A frank, hopefully insightful, dive into real estate and financial markets. From one real estate investor to another. This week, we're talkin' the landlord "ban" that Washington is feeling proud of (it won’t do much), the apartment shortag...
Inflation Is Still Too Damn High. But Now...
Tuesday, October 20
Welcome to the Skeptical Investor blog, right here on BP! A frank, hopefully insightful, dive into real estate and financial markets. From one real estate investor to another.-----This week, we’re talkin’ why inflation is still elevated, (our government never stopped spending after Covid), the re...
Why Real Estate Gloom May Be Overdone
Monday, October 12
This week, we’re talkin’ Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac say they’re buying mortgage bonds in “large quantities,” but their own monthly filings say the buying peaked in April. Washington has added almost $17 trillion of debt since Covid. Inflation is not going away as long as fuel prices are high, and...
As Building Costs Fall, the Price of Owning a Home Keeps Rising
Monday, October 05
Welcome to the Skeptical Investor blog right here on BP! A frank, hopefully insightful, dive into real estate and financial markets. From one real estate investor to another. Today’s Read Time: 10 minutes This week, we’re talkin’ the cost of building versus owning. Homebuilder Lennar can now put ...