Choose your path
Institutional investors said they anticipate lowering-than-expected returns on real estate holdings, according to a Pension Real Estate Association survey, MBA NewsLink reported Sept. 19. Investors said they now anticipate an 8.8% return across all property types for the year whereas six months ago they expected a 9.5% return. Next year they’re predicting only a 4.4% return.
The senior housing sector is bouncing back from the pandemic with a “stellar” first half of the year, according to Marcus & Millichap, GlobeSt.com reported Sept. 16. Net absorption of more than 17,000 units so far brings the 12-month total to 48,600 units, and the average rent growth was up by 4.7% year- over-year — the quickest gain in more than a decade.
The sales of existing homes dropped for the seventh consecutive month in August, down 0.4% from July and 19.9% from the same point a year ago, the National Association of Realtors reported Sept. 21. Regional data was mixed, with sales climbing 1.6% in the Northeast and 1.1% in the West, remaining stable in the South, and falling 3.3% in the Midwest.
About 85% of homeowners with mortgages have an interest rate well below the current average of 6%, making many reluctant to sell, according to Federal Housing Finance Agency data, Redfin reported Sept. 20. Because many homeowners feel locked into a low rate, the number of homes hitting the market is down 19% year-over-year, the biggest drop since May 2020.
Mortgage rates rose again during the past week, climbing to their highest level since 2011, Freddie Mac reported Sept. 22 in its Primary Mortgage Market Survey. As a result, home prices are softening and sales have decreased, although the number of properties for sale remains well below normal levels.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced Sept. 22. that it is seeking input on potential new products with a particular focus on improving mortgage refinancing for homeowners with smaller loan balances. Refinancing volume has dropped dramatically, down almost 70% from last year as interest rates have risen.
The economy is expected to grow during the second half of the year, but high inflation, tightening monetary policy and reduced housing activity likely will result in a modest recession next year, Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research Group reported Sept. 21. The forecast was lowered for both single-family home sales and multifamily starts due largely to higher mortgage rates.
Life sciences properties continue to command high sale prices, trading at an average $645 per-square-foot compared with an average $258 for general office buildings, CommercialEdge reported Sept. 21 in its National Office Report. Through August, sales volume totaled $59.63 billion and there was more than 139 million square feet of space was under construction.
Apartment rent growth reached 18% nationally last year and continues to rise at a pace exceeding pre-pandemic norms, according to Apartment List, GlobeSt.com reported Sept. 20. The greatest rent increases were reported in cities previously considered more affordable rather than in major cities like Seattle or San Francisco.
Seattle’s housing market is cooling faster than any other major market, according to an analysis of the 100 most populous U.S. metropolitan areas, Redfin reported Sept. 21. The 10 markets cooling the fastest are almost all on the West Coast, ones that have long been expensive or places that became significantly less affordable during the pandemic.
Pop up content here.