Jessica Fiur is the editor-in-chief at Multi-Housing News and Commercial Property Executive and writes the award-winning blog What Renters Want.

Jessica has been with the company since 2011 and previously was with Weekly Reader and IQPC. Contact Jessica at jessica.fiur@cpe-mhn.com, on Twitter @jfiur or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicafiur/.

BRE and Bernards Break Ground on $105 Million Mixed-Use Community

Bernards and BRE Properties have broken ground on a $105 million mixed-used development in Los Angeles.

Transwestern Mid-Atlantic Brokers Sale of Bethesda Multifamily

Transwestern Mid-Atlantic Multifamily Group, a collaborative multifamily brokerage team serving the entire Mid-Atlantic region, completed a sale of The Villas at Langley, a 590-unit garden-style apartment community located in Hyattsville, Md.

Housing Starts Edge Down 1.1 Percent, Permits Rise In July

Nationwide housing production edged down 1.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 746,000 units in July, according to newly released figures from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Jerry Rappaport Jr. Joins Ed Zuker of Chestnut Hill Realty to Create CHR Investors

Jerome L. “Jerry” Rappaport Jr. has joined with Chestnut Hill Realty CEO Ed Zuker and his son, Robert Zuker, to found CHR Investors, an affiliate of Chestnut Hill Realty that will focus on real estate investment primarily in New England’s multifamily housing sector.

Jabal Omar Development Co. to Open 10 Hotel Towers Next Year in Mecca

Jabal Omar Development Co. has announced plans to open 10 hotel towers in Mecca next year as part of a 2.2 million-square-meter (24 million-square-foot) development project.

US Energy Group and Greenwich Energy Solutions Announce Strategic Alliance

US Energy Group recently announced a new alliance with Greenwich Energy Solutions (GES) to help drive down operating costs for facilities and ensure compliance with new environmental and energy regulations in New York City.

Economy Watch: Homebuilders Even More Optimistic

The National Association of Home Builders reported on Wednesday that its Housing Market Index increased 2 points in August to 37.

Apartment REIT Recapitalizes, Renames Itself

In a complex deal involving a number of investors, Apartment Trust of America Inc. has recapitalized itself, acquired a large new portfolio and changed its name.

Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey

Mortgage applications decreased 4.5 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending August 10, 2012.

Economy Watch: Retail Sales See Unexpected Spike

Consumers unexpectedly went shopping with more brio than expected in July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday.