BiggerPockets Daily

Short-term rentals (STRs) are the fastest-growing segment in hospitality and have been gaining market share for years. A confluence of factors like robust travel spending from Americans, increasing consumer preference for experiences, and remote work is expected to support 11% CAGR growth in the STR market through 2030. Given the recent growth of STRs, vacation rental investing has become increasingly popular. Historically, however, the only way for people to invest in this asset class for a steady income and capital appreciation was resorting to the time and capital-intensive process of buying and managing a single or portfolio of vacation rental homes. In this article, we will explore the fundamentals of REIT investing, the benefits of investing in a vacation rental REIT, and Wander REIT, the first and only STR REIT that can help you reap the benefits of STR investing without the hassle.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Real estate prices fluctuate based on supply and demand, but because so many demographic, economic, and policy changes influence the markets, it’s virtually impossible to know what to expect. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, economists weren’t predicting a downturn in commercial real estate. Now, Morgan Stanley’s chief economist warns of a crash more damaging than the 2008 financial crisis. On the other hand, unexpected gains are common as well. In May 2020, Zillow predicted a drop in home prices and home sales followed by a slow recovery in 2021. But instead, a homebuying boom caused prices to skyrocket before 2020 came to an end. With the ever-changing markets, what seems like a good investment one year can look like a poor choice the next. But even with all the uncertainty, there are some enduring truths in real estate that you can always depend on as an investor. And understanding these tenets can help you navigate the shifting landscape with more confidence.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The residential real estate market is doing better than most had expected after interest rates more than doubled last year. Prices declined nationally each month from July 2022 to January 2023 (although never by more than 1% per month). However, prices came back up 0.2% in February. Ironically, February was the first month that prices dipped year-over-year, interrupting what was a record 131-month run of ever-increasing prices. It’s too early to say, but it appears that despite high rates, the residential market is stabilizing.It’s not quite so pretty for commercial real estate, particularly office, though.The Office RecessionBack in October of last year, I noted that “broadly speaking, the outlook for commercial real estate, specifically office buildings, is not great. And large office buildings, in particular, are doing poorly and will have difficulty in the coming years.” The reasons were threefold. First, the pandemic and lockdowns shuttered a lot of businesses, many permanently, and this led to a general deterioration of the existing stock and reduced demand for office space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How would you describe the housing market right now? Is it up? Flat? Down? Crashing? Each option is a little bit correct and a little bit wrong. That’s because these days, there is almost no way to describe the housing situation in the United States on a national level. To understand what is happening and to make solid investing decisions in 2023, you need to be looking at regional trends and individual market metrics. To shed some light on the differences in market behavior, I dug into the 295 largest housing markets in the country and wrote up the most interesting trends and findings from my research.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After seven straight months of declining prices, the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index increased in February, and March seems to be carrying the same upward momentum.The latest data from Black Knight finds that out of the 100 largest markets in the nation, 93 had price increases from February to March, up from 79 in January-February. This, of course, is traditionally expected as the spring months tend to bring a bump in prices as homebuying demand ramps up. But the rise is more than expected. “A modest bump in homebuyer demand ran headlong into falling for-sale supply,” said Andy Walden, Black Knight’s vice president of enterprise research. “Just five months ago, prices were declining on a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis in 92% of all major U.S. markets. Fast forward to March, and the situation has done a literal 180, with prices now rising in 92% of markets from February.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Economists look to the residential housing market as a primary indicator of whether a recession is coming, and home transaction and construction data began showing positive signs that the housing downturn may have reached a bottom in February. Many believe we’ve dodged a severe recession, and some are even optimistic that the Fed will achieve the soft landing the central bank was hoping for—an outcome of stabilized inflation without a significant rise in unemployment. Consumer spending has begun to plateau, and The Fed has signaled that it will likely put future rate hikes on hold while keeping an eye on inflation. The rate hikes that began last March may finally be coming to a close. Meanwhile, signs have pointed to a recovery in the housing cycle. After a contraction in selling activity, a slowdown in residential development, and falling home prices, things started to turn around in February.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For centuries, investing as a group has been a key ingredient in building wealth. I recognized early in my journey that earning a college degree, landing a steady W-2 job, and contributing to my 401(k) would only get me so far. I was participating in a vast investment world as an individual—but the real investors were “playing” on teams.More than a decade ago, my three brothers and I came together on a trip where we shared our desire to obtain financial freedom for our families and future generations. We knew we couldn’t do it alone. We also knew that combining resources was nothing new. For the wealthy, outsourcing the administrative process to pool their money may cost tens of thousands. But that is a drop in the bucket when considering the size and scope of these investments for each group.For my family, we struggled to get started in those early days. Like grappling over the last piece of cake as kids, we were challenged to get on the same page, navigating things like joint bank accounts, being transparent, managing a cap table, and so many other hurdles, twists, and turns.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dallas, Texas, is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, with a large, diversified, and growing economy. With home prices below the national average and solid cash flow potential, Dallas has many traits that support favorable long-term conditions for real estate investors. Population and Labor MarketLocated in Northeast Texas, the Dallas metropolitan area is actually composed of two large cities and one small city: Dallas and Fort Worth, and then the smaller city of Arlington that lies between them. Combined, the Dallas metropolitan area has a population that is growing well above the national average. The median age of residents in Dallas is just under 33 years old, which is right around the peak homebuying and household formation age—which indicates strong and sustainable demand for housing in the region.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When growing a real estate investing business, having a good FICO Score is a key factor in obtaining capital and achieving the highest return on investment. Hard money or private money lenders use this score to determine if they should give a loan to the borrower and what interest rate they should set. In most cases, hard money lenders look at your FICO Score before pre-qualifying your application and approving your loan.So, let’s take a look at FICO Scores, how it’s determined, and some steps you can take to improve your score over time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investing in real estate comes with risk, and having the right insurance coverage is critical to protecting your rental property investment. Just as each property is unique, your insurance policy should also be custom to your dwelling type, location, duration of the rental agreement, and more. Understanding the nuances of coverages for short-term, medium-term, and long-term rentals is especially important, as the wrong type of policy can render your claim denied by an insurer. This is because the risk of a long-term tenant is perceived differently from that of a property rented out on a short-term basis, such as an Airbnb or vacation rental. So, how do you know if you have the right coverage in place? In this article, we will take a closer look at each type of insurance policy and its key differences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices