Perspective

2020: A Year to Forget For Most, But Not For SFR

The SFR Industry Resiliency By: Adam Stern, CEO, Strata SFR There are some industries that tend to do better than average or even flourish during times of economic downturn. If we look back to past recessions in the US, those tended to be segments of the economy where demand does not much fluctuate based on changing prices; sectors such as basic household staples, healthcare, and consumer goods. The reason these

Read More

The Great Migration

What does the urban center exodus and work-from-home evolution mean for real estate investors? The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many things about our lives, and these changes run much deeper than wearing masks and social distancing. In the housing market, the pandemic has renewed a trend away from densely populated urban centers and toward more spacious dwellings in the suburbs. This trend is so significant that it is driving headlines

Read More

What to Expect in Changing Times

When times change, people change too. Bob Dylan famously sang, “The times they are a’changin.’” We can certainly say they’re a’changin’ as a result of COVID-19’s business as unusual. Here are just a few. Impact of Working From Home People are becoming accustomed to working from home. This means we’re going to see a lot of open commercial spaces. Change always inspires creative entrepreneurs. We’re going to see a tremendous

Read More

Real Estate’s Short, Hot Summer

With any luck, demand will heat up the housing market this summer. Spring is a home-buying season. However, the 2020 season had a false start. 2020 started with new and existing home sales at a 12-year high. In late February to early March, mortgage applications were up, and the market looked optimistic. Then COVID-19 hit, and the U.S. sheltered in place. Open houses were canceled, and future homebuyers were suddenly

Read More

The Personality of Real Estate Investors

What is your Advantage? For the past 20 years, I have worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs from all career backgrounds while being an executive at HomeVestors, The We Buy Ugly Houses people. Each one had a common desire to build a profitable business buying, rehabbing and selling single-family houses. I developed an assessment for those investors to complete as part of the application process. I also met with each investor

Read More

Are We Headed for a Corona Recession?

What that means for real estate investors? There might have been some question about whether the coronavirus would lead the U.S. into a recession. The hoarding of toilet paper makes me think it’s certain. Not because we’ll run out of toilet paper—the U.S. and Canada produce volumes of it—but because hoarding means consumers are really worried and are changing their spending behavior. That won’t just flip back in a few

Read More