Yearly Archives: 2018

Boulder Group President Randy Blankstein spoke on the retail panel at RE Journals Conference last week

In 2018, net lease investors can expect middling performance from convenience stores. Recent estimates suggest that convenience stores will achieve total sales of about $73 billion in 2018

Existing-home sales subsided in most of the country in December, but 2017 as a whole edged up 1.1 percent and ended up being the best year for sales in 11 years, according to the National Association of Realtors

Mortgage applications increased 4.5 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 19, 2018. This week's results included an adjustment for the MLK Day holiday.

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 862 refund checks totaling more than $533,000 to consumers deceived by a phony mortgage relief scheme allegedly perpetrated by a company called A to Z Marketing, Inc. Starting today, many homeowners who paid for the bogus “service” will receive refunds, with the average check totaling $619.24 and representing 26 percent of the money consumers lost.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $2.3 million to the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (AS-EPA) to strengthen its capacity to protect human health and the environment, while the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) has been awarded $8.4 million for water infrastructure projects.

Mayors nationwide, from cities large and small, agree that housing availability and affordability is their most pressing concern and the top reason that people are moving away from their cities. Mayors are also deeply concerned by the consequences of climate change and agree that cities should play a strong role in mitigating the negative effects. At a time when cutbacks in federal and state funding threaten to adversely impact infrastructure and education, mayors are even willing to advocate for increased state and local taxes to close the budgetary gaps and enhance the quality of life for their constituents.

Broker Public Portal (BPP) since its launch with Homesnap in January last year has grown from serving 45 Multiple Listing Services to more than 120 MLSs today, representing 800,000 real estate agents and brokers. As a result, Homesnap has become one of the nation’s most collaborative consumer real estate apps. Real estate agents have invited more than 19 million clients and contacts to access MLS listing data, and 8.5 million consumers have engaged with their agents through Homesnap.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) launched Safety 365, a new member and public awareness campaign designed to ensure that building industry professionals have the information and resources to help keep construction workers safe and help minimize accidents, injuries and deaths. The initiative is designed to make construction safety a priority, every day, 365 days a year.

Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors, a nationally-recognized real estate brokerage and advisory firm specializing in retail property sales, announced today that the firm has completed the sale of a newly-constructed single-tenant Aspen Dental in Jefferson County, Missouri, at the intersection of Big Bill Road and Highway 141 in the city of Arnold. The purchase price was $2,424,000, representing a 6.50 cap rate, the lowest cap rate ever for an Aspen Dental in the Midwest, according to CoStar

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today it is awarding $37 million to fight housing discrimination under its Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). These grants will support more than 150 national and local fair housing organizations working to confront violations of the Fair Housing Act (see grantee list below and read individual summaries of the work of these organizations).

The Boulder Group, a net leased investment brokerage firm, has completed the sale of a single tenant net leased 7-Eleven property located at 11065 Main Street in Frisco, Texas for $5,295,894.

International award-winning firm KTGY Architecture + Planning is pleased to announce that Nick Lehnert, Executive Director, Design Strategies, has been honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award by Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) Council on SAGE (Shaping Advancements in Generational Environments), formerly known as the 55+ Housing Council. The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes Lehnert’s outstanding service and dedication to the association.

The National Institute of Building Sciences Off-Site Construction Council (OSCC) still wants to know how you are using off-site construction practices and methods in your commercial construction work.

During a lapse in government funding, Ginnie Mae will reduce staffing to essential personnel levels. Importantly, Ginnie Mae will continue to remit timely payment of principal and interest to investors. There will also be no disruption of essential functions like the granting of commitment authority and support for continued issuance of Ginnie Mae-guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) and REMICs.

Affordable housing providers and community facilities in communities damaged by recent disasters can now apply for rapid-response financing available at favorable terms. Three community development financial institutions (CDFIs) — Enterprise Community Loan Fund (Enterprise), Mercy Loan Fund and NeighborWorks Capital — are partnering to offer $15 million in capital

The Federal Trade Commission has charged a mortgage loan modification operation with deceiving financially distressed homeowners by falsely promising to prevent foreclosure and make their mortgages more affordable. A federal court temporarily halted the scheme and froze the defendants’ assets at the FTC’s request.

David H. Stevens, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), released the following statement regarding FHFA's paper entitled, "Federal Housing Finance Agency Perspectives on Housing Finance Reform"

This past Thursday, January 11, 2018, attendees at the National Institute of Building Sciences’ annual FEDCon® Breakfast learned about the WBDG Whole Building Design Guide® and joined in the celebration of its 20th anniversary. The Institute’s online research site, WBDG hosts federal design specifications and criteria, as well as education programs, design recommendations and case studies.