Blog
‘Gimme Shelter’ with Daniel Gehman: Transit-Oriented Debacle
This full-capacity transit situation is directly related to two factors: declining unemployment and rising gas prices.
‘On the Ground’ with Eric Brown: Is Your Apartment Marketing Working?
Instead of always talking to prospects, we have to help prospects talk to each other.
‘Foong on Finance’: Firm Predicts 5% Return for Commercial Real Estate this Year
John Flavin, principal of the real estate consulting and advisory firm Wolfback says that returns for institutional-grade commercial real estate will drop from 25 percent in 2010 to 5 percent beginning this year.
‘The Accidental Economist’ with Jack Kern: Consumer Confidence Tracks Renter Outlook
There are a number of consumer confidence surveys out there and with each passing week it seems yet another publisher is trying to index one thing or another. I have long since suspected that these surveys aren’t all that reliable as economic indicators, but they have been useful in one respect.
‘The Accidental Economist’ with Jack Kern: Why Frozen New Home Sales are Good for Builders and the Apartment Industry.
While the housing market is going through a painful transition right now, what lies on the other side of that transition is a more balanced, sensible market overall.
‘The Accidental Economist’ with Jack Kern: And the Census Says…
The Census Bureau has released some very interesting statistics from the American Housing Survey. The survey covers characteristics of the housing inventory in most metropolitan areas and there are always some surprises. For example, in 2009 in Seattle, homeowners in the Sea-Tac metro area paid a median monthly housing cost of $1,576, while renters paid $1,019 by comparison. Renters contributed a higher percentage of their incomes to housing costs (30%) than owners did (23%). Looking at Chicago for comparison, homeowners paid a median cost of $1,479 per month while the renter median was $895, also in 2009. Percentages of contributions…
‘The Green Picture’ with Erika Schnitzer: Bringing Sexy Back … to Green
At a two-day brainstorming session about sustainability, it became clear that our industry could be more innovative.
‘On the Ground’ with Eric Brown: When Marketing Becomes Media
How were you spending your marketing budget 10 years ago? Is it really all that different today? It should be.
‘Foong on Finance’: Obama’s Plan Calls for End to Fannie and Freddie within 10 Years
The Obama Administration issued its proposal for the future of Fannie and Freddie today.
‘The Accidental Economist’ with Jack Kern: The Tunnel at the End of the Light?
Inflation might increase at a rapid trajectory, sinking much of what was gained in the past six months.