Invitation Homes, Inc., announced Thursday that it completed its merger with Starwood Waypoint Homes. The combined company, which will operate under the Invitation Homes name, is now the largest single-family rental company in the U.S., managing a portfolio of about 82,000 homes nationwide.Still, the company’s portfolio represents less than 0.1 percent of the more than 90 million single-family homes in the U.S. and 0.5 percent of the nearly 16
In some ways, selling a parcel of land and selling a house are two different animals. Vacant land involves marketing its potential to an audience of developers and investors, and the main selling points lie in the location, size, and price, says Desare Kohn-Laski, broker-owner of Skye Louis Realty in Coconut Creek, Fla. “The principles might be similar in some ways, but there are still notable differences that make the endeavor challenging,”
As anniversaries go, it's a nerve-racking but inescapable one: It's been 10 long years since the widespread real estate crash that precipitated the Great Recession, and all the misery that followed in its wake. So it seems like the perfect time to take a giant step back, peruse and analyze all of the data, and assess what has really happened to the American housing market in the decade since.So where are we, really?Ever-steeper home prices:
Snooping online proves to be an easier way of finding out what a homeowner paid for a property. A recent poll of more than 500 homeowners found that 52 percent of respondents admit they have spied online to track how much friends and family paid for their houses, according to a poll by Branded Research.Homeowners say they are simply curious what someone else paid for a property, how much it’s worth currently, and how much is paid in taxes.
Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said on Wednesday that he would be leaving his post at the end of the month. Some organizations and lawmakers view this as an opportunity to restructure the financial watchdog agency.The CFPB was established about six years ago as part of the Dodd-Frank Act. Its goal has been to investigate financial abuses on accounts such as mortgages, bank accounts, student loans, and cred
Working families in rural areas looking for a home are finding it’s not a lack of inventory that is a challenge, but being able to afford what is available. A new study found that rural areas, particularly those in second-home or retiree havens, lack enough affordable and adequate housing for local working families, according to a new research report released by Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire.In New England,
The House passed legislation Tuesday to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program for five years, which would include reforms. But because the bill—which is backed by the National Association of REALTORS®—still needs Senate approval, it’s unclear whether the long-sought five-year extension will be passed before Dec. 8, when the NFIP is set to expire. Lawmakers could instead pass another short-term extension to give them time to deba
A slight dip in interest rates last week brought more homeowners and home buyers to the mortgage market. More homeowners were quick to refinance before interest rates rise again, and home buyers were able to lock in lower rates during the week.The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that total mortgage application volume—which includes for refinancings and home purchases—rose 3.1 percent last week on a seasonally adjusted basis. Mortgage ap
Rents have been slowing in many areas, but exceptions are still giving renters sticker shock. Rents in the nation’s largest cities, in particular, continue to grow.Nearly half of renters—or 46 percent—devote more than 30 percent of their income to rent, according to Census Bureau data. Economists consider that “cost-burdened.”SmartAsset, a personal finance website, analyzed data median household incomes and average rents and compared th
Microsoft founder Bill Gates wants to smarten up city planning and make cities more high-tech. The billionaire’s real estate investment firm has paid $80 million for a large plot of land in Arizona to develop into a “smart city.”Cascade Investment, an investment group owned by Gates, purchased nearly 25,000 acres in Tonopah, which is about 50 miles west of Phoenix. The desert land currently is mostly undeveloped.Belmont Partners will develo
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