Renting Must be Part of the Solution By David Howard Make no mistake: It is a difficult time for homebuyers right now, and California stands out as one of the nation’s toughest states to buy a home. It’s not just that home prices are hitting an all-time high, and that California features some of the least affordable housing markets in the country. High interest rates mean that even families that
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Some Proposals for Consideration By David Howard This year’s State of the Union address featured a number of proposals designed to invigorate America’s housing market. Most notable among the proposals: » A two-year mortgage relief credit of up to $10,000 for first-time homebuyers » A one-year tax credit of up to $10,000 for homeowners who sell a starter home to owner-occupants » Up to $25,000 in downpayment assistance for first-time
Read More …. For Providing Rental Housing By David Howard A new bill introduced in January 2024 in the U.S. Senate levies an onerous new tax on owners of single-family rental homes for no other reason than they are deemed “institutional” and therefore somehow a threat to America’s housing market. The “Affordable Housing and Homeowner Protection Act,” introduced by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) forces anyone
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The Case for Legislation That Encourages and Incentivizes New Investment and Development in Housing By David Howard America’s housing market has a problem – we are not producing enough homes. Just consider the following: » In 1970, America built 420,000 “starter” homes; in 2020 we built just 65,000. » Fannie Mae has reported there were fewer homes built in the U.S. in the 10-year period ending in 2018 than in
Read More New Legislation Targets SFR Owners By David Howard In December, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Adam Smith (D-WA9) introduced the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act, a bill targeting the legitimate development, investment, and ownership activities of America’s leading providers and builders of professionally-managed single-family rental homes and communities. By forcing any entity owning $50 million or more of single-family rental home assets to sell all properties
Read More FTC Targeting Hidden and Bogus Fees By David Howard If you are an owner of single-family rental homes and you have not yet started thinking about New Year’s resolutions, allow me to make a suggestion: “Focus on fees.” Actually, as I will explain, focusing on fees should be more than a New Year’s resolution. I only suggest it as such in the hopes that it will make it easier to
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