Appraisal Now

Hospitality Investor | Hospitality's service-first model is reshaping office real estate, with landlords adopting hotel-style experiences—upgraded front desks, design, and events—to boost occupancy. Leaders say sustainability and profitability align, and value creation often requires strategy over heavy capital spending. 

House Beautiful | Data centers have mixed effects on housing markets: Proximity often boosts values due to strong infrastructure and job growth, but noise, traffic, water demands, and construction deter some buyers—especially for properties immediately adjacent to facilities.

Farm Progress | Artificial intelligence is reshaping agricultural appraisal—not by replacing appraisers, but by automating repetitive tasks like data entry and report drafting. Appraisers can shift from being doers to decision-makers, while judgment, analysis, and credibility remain irreplaceable. 

Seoul Economic Daily | South Korea's housing industry welcomed the Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation’s (HUG's) new appraiser recommendation system for rental deposit guarantees, expecting more objective property valuations. The Korea Housing Builders Association praised HUG's improved industry communication and hopes the reforms help stabilize the housing market. 

Brownfield | Southeastern Wisconsin farmland values have jumped 25%–35% since last December, driven by limited supply and demand from large dairies seeking nearby cropland for manure application, where proximity reduces costly, liability-heavy hauling. 

Current Federal Tax Developments | Two Georgia LLCs claimed ~$26 million in conservation easement deductions but had their appraisals rejected for using inflated comparable sales from different markets. The court allowed only ~$1 million and imposed 40% valuation misstatement penalties.

Stateline | Single-family housing starts hit a three-year March high at 88,900, but falling permits and rising material costs signal a weakening pipeline. Existing home sales dipped as prices rose to $403,000, with supply still far short of demand.

New York Times | Millions of empty homes sit off the market as owners—especially retirees—avoid steep tax bills from selling. In top metropolitan areas, exit taxes can exceed $100,000, making it cheaper to leave homes vacant for years.

CNBC | In Monaco, the world’s priciest luxury market, $1 million buys just 172 square feet. Global prime real estate rose 3.2% in 2024, led by Dubai (+25%) and Tokyo (+58%). Tax pressures are driving ultrawealthy buyers toward low-friction markets like Miami, Milan, and Dubai.

New York Post | Los Angeles homeowners are suing the city after it blocked demolition of Marilyn Monroe's former Brentwood home by declaring it a historic monument. They paid $8 million for the property and argue that the designation—without compensation—amounts to an unconstitutional government taking.

CNBC | New York's proposed pied-à-terre tax on second homes worth more than $5 million could raise $500 million annually but faces major hurdles: The city's outdated property assessment system vastly undervalues luxury real estate, likely triggering widespread legal disputes over valuations and compliance.

Colliers | March retail sales rose 4.5% year-over-year, boosted by tax refunds, an early Easter, and strong apparel/electronics demand. But housing-related categories lagged, and rising costs may temper momentum ahead, even as discount stores and experiential venues saw notable traffic gains.

National Mortgage Professional | Pending home sales rose 1.5% in March, led by the South's stronger jobs and moderate prices. Inventory is growing, but high mortgage rates and affordability challenges persist. Rate-sensitive demand is localized—opportunity lies in markets where pricing and supply are aligning for buyers.

Logos Press | Moldova is creating a council to oversee and sanction real estate appraisers, aiming to improve report quality. Critics note appraisers lack access to actual sale prices and warn that the council risks corruption, favoring NGO-based oversight instead.