Appraisal Now

Planetizen | LA's 2023 "mansion tax" on property sales over $5 million has backfired, with construction permits falling 40% citywide—including a 70% drop in ADUs and 27% in multifamily. Developers avoided the tax by cutting prices or building outside city limits, worsening the housing shortage.

Fortune | The 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to 6.01%, its lowest since 2022. Despite improving affordability, home sales remain near 30-year lows due to high prices and limited inventory. Pending sales fell 0.8% in January, though lower rates may boost spring buying activity.

New York Times | NYC Mayor Mamdani proposed two tax options to close a $5.4 billion budget gap: a 9.5% property tax hike affecting middle-class homeowners, or a millionaires' tax requiring state approval. Both face major political hurdles and are unlikely to pass.

Visual Capitalist | Nearly one-third of US homes sit in wildland-urban interface zones where development meets fire risk. As housing expands into fire-prone areas—especially in CA, TX, and FL—costs for protection, evacuation, and recovery compound, making fire exposure a critical property risk issue.

Purdue University Center for Commercial Agriculture | USDA's 2026 farm balance sheet forecast shows slowing asset/equity growth and accelerating debt. Non-real estate assets are declining, led by a $15 billion drop in livestock inventory, while machinery grows. Key efficiency ratios sit at historic lows, signaling reduced productivity per dollar of assets.

Altus Group | Altus Group is selling its Canadian Appraisals business to Newmark, expected to close March 1, 2026. The 140-person, 3,000-client unit joins Newmark's Valuation & Advisory division, while Newmark gains a multiyear license for ARGUS Intelligence and other Altus software.

The Street | Despite OBBBA repealing many clean-energy incentives, homebuyers can still save via EPA's Energy Star program, according to Berkshire Hathaway HomesServices. Certified appliances offer rebates, lower utility bills, improved comfort, reduced emissions, and long-term home value benefits—making it a key remaining opportunity for cost-conscious buyers.

Visual Capitalist | US property risk is being reshaped by rising rebuild costs, climate-driven hazards, urban sprawl into danger zones, aging buildings, new tech vulnerabilities, and CRE vacancy stress—collectively setting a higher baseline for insured losses and demanding smarter risk management.

AOL | Kansas City joined a growing trend of restricting data center construction, eliminating "by-right" building status and requiring special permits. Despite a data center boom worth trillions, areas like Loudoun County, Virginia, are also adding restrictions amid backlash. Critics claim environmental harms are overstated; data centers are low-impact facilities that should be regulated like offices, not strangled by zoning barriers.

New York Times | China's economy grew 5% in 2025 despite a severe housing crash. Home prices have fallen at least 20% since 2021, with sales at 15-year lows. An export boom masks weak consumer spending and plummeting household confidence. The real estate downturn, once 25% of the GDP, continues to worsen.

Cotality | New Zealand residential building costs rose 0.9% in Q4 2025, the largest gain since Q3 2024. Annual growth reached 2.3%, which is well below the 4.1% long-term average and far from the 10%+ post-COVID peak. Dwelling consents are rebounding to 35,500, signaling sector recovery ahead in 2026.

CNBC | Data center executives dismiss bubble fears despite massive expansion. The Digital Realty CEO cites strong demand with 15-year contracts. JLL forecasts capacity to double by 2030, requiring a $3 trillion investment. Some concerns exist about tenant creditworthiness, but sector fundamentals remain solid.